• 


CAPTAIN  MAINE  REID'S 
BOOKS  OF  ADVENTURE  FOR  BOYS. 


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* 
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"Full  of  startling  events,  marvellous  incidents,  and  hair-breadth  'scapes, 
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TICKNOR  &  FIELDS,  135  Washington  Street. 


THE    SHOWER    OF    LOCUSTS. 


Page     37. 


THE 


BUSH-BOYS; 

OR, 

THE  HISTOKY  AND  ADVENTURES 


A  CAPE   FARMER   AND    HIS    FAMILY 


WILD  KAROOS  OF  SOUTHERN  AFRICA. 


CAPTAIN  MAYNE  REID. 
i/ 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  BOY  HUNTERS,"  "THE  YODNO  VOYAGECRS," 
"FOREST  EXILES,"  ETC. 


tffltttfi  arfotlfce  Ellustrattons. 


BOSTON: 
TICK  NOR    AND    FIELDS 

M  DCCC  LVI. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1856,  by 

TICKNOR  AND   FIELDS, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


HOBART   ft   BOBBINS, 
New  England  Type  and  Stereotype  Foundery. 

BOSTON. 
Dumrell  &  Moore,  Printers,  Boston. 


THREE  VERT  DEAR  YOUNG  FRIENDS, 

FRANZ,    LOUIS,    AND    VILMA, 

THE  CHILDREN  OP  A  STILL  OLDKR  FRIEND,  THE  FRIBND  OF 
FREEDOM,  OF  VIRTUE,  AND  OF  TRUTH, 

LOUIS    KOSSUTH, 

®(f*  Volume  it  Defcf  ratcft, 

BY  THEIR  SINGERS  WELL-WISHER, 

LONDON,  1855.  MAYNE    REID. 


M15573 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  PACK 

I.  THE  BOOHS 1 

II.  THE  KRAAL 9 

III.  THE  SPRINGHAAN 16 

IV.  A  TALK  ABOUT  LOCUSTS 24 

V.  THE  LOCUST-FLIGHT        ' 83 

VI.   "  INSPANN  AND  TREK " *    ...      39 

VII.   « WATER  !  WATER  ! » 45 

VIII.  THE  FATE  OF  THE  HERD 53 

IX.   A  LION  "COUCH ANT" 61 

X.   A  LION  IN  THE  TRAP 68 

XI.  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  LION 76 

XII.   A  TALK  ABOUT  LIONS 82 

XHI.  THE  TRAVELLERS  BENIGHTED 87 

XIV.   THE  TREK-BOKEN       . 94 

XV.  SPOORING  FOR  A  SPRING 104 

XVI.  THE  TERRIBLE  TSETSE 110 

XVII.  THE  LONG-HORNED  RHINOCEROS 116 

XVIII.   A  HEAVY  COMBAT 125 

XIX.  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT 133 

XX.   TURNED  HUNTERS 141 

XXI.  JERKING  AN  ELEPHANT 147 

XXII.   THE  HIDEOUS  HYENA 153 

XXIII.  STALKING  THE  OUREBI   .       .       .       ...       .       .       .160 

XXIV.  LITTLE  JAN'S  ADVENTURE 170 

XXV.   A  CHAPTER  UPON  HYENAS   .  .    177 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.  PAGE 

XXVI.   A  HOUSE  AMONG  THE  TREE-TOPS 185 

XXVII.  THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS      .       .       .       .191 

XXVIII.  UPON  THE  SPOOR 199 

XXIX.   A  ROGUE  ELEPHANT 207 

XXX.  THE  MISSING  HUNTER,  AND  THE  WILDEBEESTS        .  217 

XXXI.  THE  ANT-EATER  OF  AFRICA 225 

XXXII.   HANS  CHASED  BY  THE  WILDEBEEST        ....  231 

XXXIII.  BESIEGED  BY  THE  BULL 238 

XXXIV.  A  HELPLESS  BEAST 244 

XXXV.  THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-ROOM 251 

XXXVI.   MAKING  THE  ELEPHANT'S  BED 257 

XXXVII.  THE  WILD  ASSES  OF  AFRICA 263 

XXXVIII.   PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUAGGAS       .       .  271 

XXXIX.   THE  PIT-TRAP .  279 

XL.   DRIVING  IN  THE  ELAND 286 

XLI.   A  WILJFRIDE  ON  QUAGGA-BACK 294 

XLH.  THE  GUN-TRAP 304 

XLIII.  THE  WEAVER-BIRDS 311 

XLIV.  THE  SPITTING-SNAKE 317 

XLV.  THE  SERPENT-EATER 323 

XLVI.  TOTTY  AND  THE  CHACMAS 332 

XLVII.  THE  WILD  HOUNDS  AND  THE  HARTEBEEST  .        .       .  340 

XLVIII.   CONCLUSION                                                                               .  351 


THE    BUSH-BOYS. 


-<t 

mi 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE   BOORS. 

HENDRIK  VON  BLOOM  was  a  boor. 

My  young  English  reader,  do  not  suppose  that  I 
mean  any  disrespect  to  Mynheer  Von  Bloom,  by 
calling  him  a  "  boor."  In  our  good  Cape  colony  a 
''boor"  is  a  farmer.  It  is  no  reproach  to  be  called 
a  farmer.  Van  Bloom  was  one  —  a  Dutch  farmer  of 
the  Cape  —  a  boor. 

The  boors  of  the  Cape  colony  have  figured  very 
considerably  in  modern  history.  Although  naturally 
a  people  inclined  to  peace,  they  have  been  forced  into 
various  wars,  both  with  native  Africans  and  Euro- 
peans ;  and  in  these  wars  they  have  acquitted  them- 
selves admirably,  and  given  proofs  that  a  pacific 
people,  when  need  be,  can  fight  just  as  well  as  those 
who  are  continually  exulting  in  the  ruffian  glory  of 
the  soldier. 

But  the  boors  have  been  accused  of  cruelty  in 
1 


2  THE    BOORS. 

their  wars ;  especially  those  carried  on  against  the 
native  races.  In  an  abstract  point  of  view  the  accu- 
sation might  appear  just.  'But  when  we  come  to 
consider  the  provocation  received  at  the  hands  of 
these  savage  enemies,  we  learn  to  look  more  lenient- 
ly upon  the  conduct  of  the  Cape  Dutch.  It  is  true 
they  reduced  the  yellow  Hottentots  to  a  state  of 
slavery  ;  but  at  that  same  time  we,  the  English,  were 
transporting  ship-loads  of  black  Guineamen  across  the 
Atlantic,  while  the  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  were 
binding  the  red  men  of  America  in  fetters  as  tight 
and  hard. 

Another  point  to  be  considered  is  the  character  of 
the  natives  with  whom  the  Dutch  boors  had  to  deal. 
The  keenest  cruelty  inflicted  upon  them  by  the  colo- 
nists was  mercy,  compared  with  the  treatment  which 
these  savages  had  to  bear  at  the  hands  of  their  own 
despots. 

This  does  not  justify  the  Dutch  for  having  reduced 
the  Hottentots  to  a  state  of  slavery  ;  but,  all  circum- 
stances considered,  there  is  no  one  of  the  maritime 
nations  who  can  gracefully  accuse  them  of  cruelty. 
In  their  dealings  with  the  aborigines  of  the  Cape,  they 
have  had  to  do  with  savages  of  a  most  wicked  and 
degraded  stamp ;  and  the  history  of  colonization, 
under  such  circumstances,  could  not  be  otherwise 
than  full  of  unpleasant  episodes. 

Young  reader,  I  could  easily  defend  the  conduct 
of  the  boors  of^Cape  colony,  but  I  have  not  space 
here.  I  can  only  give  you  my  opinion  ;  and  that  is, 
that  they  are  a  brave,  strong,  healthy,  moral,  peace- 
loving,  industrious  race  ;  lovers  of  truth,  and  friends 


THE   BOORS.  3 

to  republican  freedom ;  in  short,  a  noble  race  of 
men. 

Is  it  likely,  thenrtwhen  I  called  Hendrik  Von 
Bloom  a  boor,  that  I  meant  him  any  disrespect  ? 
Quite  the  contrary. 

But  Mynheer  Hendrik  had  not  always  been  a  boor. 
He  could  boast  of  a  somewhat  higher  condition ; 
that  is,  he  could  boast  of  a  better  education  than  the 
mere  Cape  farmer  usually  possesses,  as  well  as  some 
experience  in  wielding  the  sword.  He  was  not  a 
native  of  the  colony,  but  of  the  mother  country  ;  and 
he  had  found  his  way  to  the  Cape,  not  as  a  poor 
adventurer  seeking  his  fortune,  but  as  an  officer  in  a 
Dutch  regiment  then  stationed  there. 

His  soldier-service  in  the  colony  was  not  of  long 
duration.  A  certain  cherry-cheeked,  flaxen-haired 
Gertrude,  the  daughter  of  a  rich  boor,  had  taken  a 
liking  to  the  young  lieutenant ;  and  he,  in  his  turn, 
became  vastly  fond  of  her.  The  consequence  was 
that  they  got  married.  Gertrude's  father  dying 
shortly  after,  the  large  farm,  with  its  full  stock  of 
horses  and  Hottentots,  broad-tailed  sheep  and  long- 
horned  oxen,  became  hers.  This  was  an  inducement 
for  her  soldier-husband  to  lay  down  the  sword  and 
turn  "  vee-boor,"  or  stock  farmer,  which  he  conse- 
quently did. 

These  incidents  occurred  many  years  previous  to 
the  English  becoming  masters  of  the  Cape  colony. 
When  that  event  came  to  pass,  Hendrik  Von  Bloom 
was  already  a  man  of  influence  in  the  colony,  and 
"  field-cornet "  of  his  district,  which  lay  in  the  beau- 
tiful county  of  Graaf  Reinet.  He  was  then  a 


4  THE   BOORS. 

widower,  the  father  of  a  small  family.  The  wife 
whom  he  had  fondly  loved,  the  cherry-cheeked,  flax- 
en-haired Gertrude,  no  longer  lived. 

History  will  tell  you  how  the  Dutch  colonists,  dis- 
contented with  English  rule,  rebelled  against  it. 
The  ex-lieutenant  and  field-cornet  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  among  these  rebels.  History  will  also 
tell  you  how  the  rebellion  was  put  down  ;  and  how 
several  of  those  compromised  were  brought  to  exe- 
cution. Von  Bloom  escaped  by  flight ;  but  his  fine 
property  in  the  Graaf  Reinet  was  confiscated  and 
given  to  another. 

Many  years  after,  we  find  him  living  in  a  remote 
district  beyond  the  great  Orange  river,  leading  the 
life  of  a  "trek-boor ; 7;  that  is,  a  nomade  farmer,  who 
has  no  fixed  or  permanent  abode,  but  moves  with 
his  flocks  from  place  to  place,  wherever  good  pas- 
tures and  water  may  tempt  him. 

From  about  this  time  dates  my  knowledge  of  the 
field-cornet  and  his  family.  Of  his  history  previous 
to  this  I  have  stated  all  I  know,  but  for  a  period  of 
many  years  after  I  am  more  minutely  acquainted 
with  it.  Most  of  its  details  I  received  from  the  lips 
of  his  own  son.  I  was  greatly  interested,  and,  in- 
deed, instructed,  by  them.  They  were  my  first  les- 
sons in  African  zoology. 

Believing,  boy-reader,  that  they  might  also  instruct 
and  interest  you,  I  here  lay  them  before  you.  You 
are  not  to  regard  them  as  merely  fanciful.  The 
descriptions  of  the  wild  creatures  that  play  their 
parts  in  this  little  history,  as  well  as  the  acts,  habits, 
and  instincts,  assigned  to  them,  you  may  regard  as 


THE    BOORS.  5 

true  to  nature.  Young  Von  Bloom  was  a  student 
of  nature,  and  you  may  depend  upon  the  fidelity  of 
his  descriptions. 

Disgusted  with  politics,  the  field-cornet  now  dwelt 
on  the  remote  frontier ;  in  fact,  beyond  the  frontier, 
for  the  nearest  settlement  was  an  hundred  miles  off. 
His  "  kraal "  was  in  a  district  bordering  the  great 
Kalihari  desert  —  the  Saara  of  Southern  Africa.  The 
region  around,  for  hundreds  of  miles,  was  uninhabited, 
for  the  thinly-scattered,  half-human  Bushmen  who 
dwelt  within  its  limits  hardly  deserved  the  name  of 
inhabitants  any  more  than  the  wild  beasts  that 
howled  around  them. 

I  have  said  that  Von  Bloom  now  followed  the 
occupation  of 'a  "  trek-boor. "  Farming  in  the  Cape 
colony  consists  principally  in  the  rearing  of  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  and  goats  ;  and  these  animals  form  the 
wealth  of  the  boor.  But  the  stock  of  our  field-cornet 
was  now  a  very  small  one.  The  proscription  had 
swept  away  all  his  wealth,  and  he  had  not  been  for- 
tunate in  his  first  essays  as  a  nomade  grazier.  The 
emancipation  law,  passed  by  the  British  government, 
extended  not  only  to  the  negroes  of  the  West  India 
Islands,  but  also  to  the  Hottentots  of  the  Cape  ;  and 
the  result  of  it  was  that  the  servants  of  Mynheer 
Von  Bloom  had  deserted  him.  His  cattle,  no  longer 
properly  cared  for,  had  strayed  off.  Some  of  them 
fell  a  prey  to  wild  beasts  ;  some  died  of  the  murrain. 
His  horses,  too,  were  decimated  by  that  mysterious 
disease  of  Southern  Africa,  the  "horse-sickness;" 
while  his  sheep  and  goats  were  continually  being 
attacked  and  diminished  in  numbers  by  the  earth- 


6  THE   BOORS. 

wolf,  the  wild  hound,  and  the  hyena.  A  series  of 
losses  had  he  suffered,  until  his  horses,  oxen,  sheep, 
and  goats,  scarce  counted  altogether  an  hundred 
head.  A  very  small  stock  for  a  vee-boor,  or  South 
African  grazier. 

Withal  our  field-cornet  was  not  unhappy.  He 
looked  around  upon  his  three  brave  sons  —  Hans, 
Hendrik,  and  Jan.  He  looked  upon  his  cherry- 
cheeked,  flaxen-haired  daughter,  Gertrude,  the  very 
type  and  image  of  what  her  mother  had  been.  From 
these  he  drew  the  hope  of  a  happier  future. 

His  two  eldest  boys  were  already  helps  to  him  in 
his  daily  occupations  ;  the  youngest  would  soon  be 
so  likewise.  In  Gertrude,  or  "  Triiey,"  as  she  was 
endearingly  styled,  he  would  soon  have  a  capital 
housekeeper.  He  was  not  unhappy,  therefore  ;  and 
if  an  occasional  sigh  escaped  him,  it  was  when  the 
face  of  the  little  Triiey  recalled  the  memory  of  that 
Gertrude  who  was  now  in  heaven. 

But  Hendrik  Von  Bloom  was  not  the  man  to  des- 
pair. Disappointments  had  not  succeeded  in  causing 
his  spirits  to  droop.  He  only  applied  himself  more 
ardently  to  the  task  of  once  more  building  up  his 
fortune. 

For  himself  he  had  no  ambition  to  be  rich.  He 
would  have  been  contented  with  the  simple  life  he 
was  leading,  and  would  have  cared  but  little  to  in- 
crease his  wealth.  But  other  considerations  weighed 
upon  his  mind  —  the  future  of  his  little  family.  He 
could  not  suffer  his  children  to  grow  up  in  the  midst 
of  the  wild  plains  without  education. 

No ;  they  must  one  day  return  to  the  abodes  of 


THE   BOORS.  1 

men,  to  act  their  part  in  the  drama  of  social  and 
civilized  life.  This  was  his  design. 

But  how  was  this  design  to  be  accomplished? 
Though  his  so-called  act  of  treason  had  been  par- 
doned, and  he  was  now  free  to  return  within  the 
limits  of  the  colony,  he  was  ill-prepared  for  such  a 
purpose.  His  poor  wasted  stock  would  not  suffice 
to  set  him  up  within  the  settlements.  It  would 
scarce  keep  him  a  month.  To  return  would  be  to 
return  a  beggar ! 

Reflections  of  this  kind  sometimes  gave  him  anx- 
iety. But  they  also  added  energy  to  his  disposition, 
and  rendered  him  more  eager  to  overcome  the  obsta- 
cles before  him. 

During  the  present  year  he  had  been  very  indus- 
trious. In  order  that  his  cattle  should  be  provided 
for  in  the  season  of  winter,  he  had  planted  a  large 
quantity  of  maize  and  buckwheat,  and  now  the  crops 
of  both  were  in  the  most  prosperous  condition.  His 
garden,  too,  smiled,  and  promised  a  profusion  of 
fruits,  and  melons,  and  kitchen  vegetables.  In  short, 
the  little  homestead,  where  he  had  fixed  himself  for 
a  time,  was  a  miniature  oasis ;  and  he  rejoiced  day 
after  day,  as  his  eyes  rested  upon  the  ripening  aspect 
around  him.  Once  more  he  began  to  dream  of  pros- 
perity ;  once  more  to  hope  that  his  evil  fortunes  had 
come  to  an  end. 

Alas  !  it  was  a  false  hope.  A  series  of  trials  yet 
awaited  him  ;  a  series  of  misfortunes,  that  deprived 
him  of  almost  everything  he  possessed,  and  com- 
pletely changed  his  mode  of  existence. 

Perhaps  these  occurrences  could  hardly  be  termed 


THE    BOORS. 


misfortunes,  since,  in  the  end,  they  led  to  a  happy 
result. 

But  you  may  judge  for  yourself,  boy-reader,  after 
you  have  heard  the  "  history  and  adventures  "  of  the 
"  trek-boor  "  and  his  family. 


THE    KRAAL. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  "  KRAAL." 

THE  ex-field-cornet  was  seated  in  front  of  his  kraal 
—  for  such  is  the  name  of  a  South  African  homestead. 
From  his  lips  protruded  a  large  pipe,  with  its  huge 
bowl  of  meerschaum.  Every  boor  is  a  smoker. 

Notwithstanding  the  many  losses  and  crosses  of 
his  past  life,  there  was  contentment  in  his  eye.  He 
was  gratified  by  the  prosperous  appearance  of  his 
crops.  The  maize  was  now  "  in  the  milk,"  and  the 
ears,  folded  within  the  papyrus-like  husks,  looked 
full  and  large.  It  was  delightful  to  hear  the  rustling 
of  the  long  green  blades,  and  see  the  bright  golden 
tassels  waving  in  the  breeze.  The  heart  of  the 
farmer  was  glad  as  his  eye  glanced  over  his  promis- 
ing crop  of  "  mealies." 

But  there  was  another  promising  crop  that  still 
more  gladdened  his  heart  —  his  fine  children.  There 
they  are,  all  around  him. 

Hans,  the  oldest,  steady,  sober  Hans,  at  work  in 
the  well-stocked  garden ;  while  the  diminutive  but 
sprightly  imp  Jan,  the  youngest,  is  looking  on,  and 
occasionally  helping  his  brother.  Hendrik,  the 
dashing  Hendrik,  with  bright  face  and  light  curling 
hair,  is  busy  among  the  horses,  in  the  "  horse-kraal ;" 
and  Trliey,  the  beautiful,  cherry-cheeked,  flaxen- 


10  THE   KRAAL. 

haired  Triiey,  is  engaged  with  her  pet,  a  fawn  of 
the  springbok  gazelle,  whose  bright  eyes  rival  her 
own  in  their  expression  of  innocence  and  loveliness. 

Yes,  the  heart  of  the  field-cornet  is  glad  as  he 
glances  from  one  to  the  other  of  these  his  children  — 
and  with  reason.  They  are  all  fair  to  look  upon ; 
all  give  promise  of  goodness.  If  their  father  feels 
an  occasional  pang,  it  is,  as  we  have  already  said, 
when  his  eye  rests  upon  the  cherry-cheeked,  flaxen- 
haired  Gertrude. 

But  time  has  long  since  subdued  that  grief  to  a 
gentle  melancholy.  Its  pang  is  short-lived,  and  the 
face  of  the  field-cornet  soon  lightens  up  again  as  he 
looks  around  upon  his  dear  children,  so  full  of  hope 
and  promise. 

Hans  and  Hendrik  are  already  strong  enough  to 
assist  him  in  his  occupations  ;  in  fact,  with  the 
exception  of  "  Swartboy,"  they  are  the  only  help 
he  has. 

Who  is  Swartboy  ? 

Look  into  the  horse-kraal,  and  you  will  there  see 
Swartboy  engaged,  along  with  his  young  master 
Hendrik,  in  saddling  a  pair  of  horses.  You  may 
notice  that  Swartboy  appears  to  be  about  thirty 
years  old,  and  he  is  full  that ;  but  if  you  were  to 
apply  a  measuring  rule  to  him,  you  would  find  him 
not  much  over  four  feet  in  height !  He  is  stoutly 
built,  however,  and  would  measure  better  in  a  hori- 
zontal direction.  You  may  notice  that  he  is  of  a 
yellow  complexion,  although  his  name  might  lead 
you  to  fancy  he  was  black  —  for  "  Swartboy  "  means 
"  black-boy."  You  may  observe  that  his  nose  is  flat 


THE    KRAAL.  11 

and  sunk  below  the  level  of  his  cheeks ;  that  his 
cheeks  are  prominent,  his  lips  very  thick,  his  nos- 
trils wide,  his  face  beardless,  and  his  head  almost 
hairless  ;  for  the  small  kinky  wool-knots  thinly  scat- 
tered over  his  skull  can  scarcely  be  designated  hair. 
You  may  notice,  moreover,  that  his  head  is  mon- 
strously large,  with  ears  in  proportion  ;  and  that  the 
eyes  are  set  obliquely,  and  have  a  Chinese  expres- 
sion. You  may  notice  about  Swartboy  all  those 
characteristics  that  distinguish  the  "  Hottentots  "  of 
South  Africa. 

Yet  Swartboy  is  not  a  Hottentot  —  though  he  is 
of  the  same  race.  He  is  a  Bushman. 

How  came  this  wild  Bushman  into  the  service  of 
the  ex-field-cornet  Yon  Bloom  ?  About  that  there  is 
a  little  romantic  history.  Thus  : 

Among  the  savage  tribes  of  Southern  Africa  there 
exists  a  very  cruel  custom — that  of  abandoning 
their  aged  or  infirm,  and  often  their  sick  or  wounded,, 
to  die  in  the  desert.  Children  leave  their  parents 
behind  them,  and  the  wounded  are  often  forsaken  by 
their  comrades,  with  no  other  provision  made  for 
them  beyond  a  day's  food  and  a  cup  of  water  I 

The  Bushman  Swartboy  had  been  the  victim  of 
this  custom.  He  had  been  upon  a  hunting  excur- 
sion with  some  of  his  own  kindred,  and  had  been 
sadly  mangled  by  a  lion.  His  comrades,  not  expect- 
ing him  to  live,  left  him  on  the  plain  to  die  ;  and 
most  certainly  would  he  have  perished  had  it  not 
been  for  our  field-cornet.  The  latter,  as  he  was 
"  trekking "  over  the  plains,  found  the  wounded 
Bushman,  lifted  him  into  his  wagon,  carried  him  on 


12  THE    KRAAL. 

to  his  camp,  dressed  his  wounds,  and  nursed  him  till 
he  became  well.  That  is  how  Swartboy  came  to  be 
in  the  service  of  the  field-cornet. 

Though  gratitude  is  not  a  characteristic  of  his 
race,  Swartboy  was  not  ungrateful.  When  all  the 
other  servants  ran  away,  he  remained  faithful  to  his 
master ;  and  since  that  time  had  been  a  most  efficient 
and  useful  hand.  In  fact,  he  was  now  the  only  one 
left,  with  the  exception  of  the  girl,  Totty  —  who 
was,  of  course,  a  Hottentot,  and  much  about  the 
same  height,  size,  and  color,  as  Swartboy  himself. 

We  have  said  that  Swartboy  and  the  young  Hen- 
drik  were  saddling  a  pair  of  horses.  As  soon  as 
they  had  finished  that  job,  they  mounted  them,  and, 
riding  out  of  the  kraal,  took  their  way  straight  across 
the  plain.  They  were  followed  by  a  couple  of  strong, 
rough-looking  dogs. 

Their  purpose  was  to  drive  home  the  oxen  and  the 
other  horses  that  were  feeding  a  good  distance  off. 
This  they  were  in  the  habit  of  doing  every  evening 
at  the  same  hour  ;  for  in  South  Africa  it  is  necessary 
to  shut  up  all  kinds  of  live  stock  at  night,  to  protect 
them  from  beasts  of  prey.  For  this  purpose  are 
built  several  enclosures  with  high  walls,  —  "kraals," 
as  they  are  called  ;  a  word  of  the  same  signification 
as  the  Spanish  "  corral,"  and  I  fancy  introduced 
into  Africa  by  the  Portuguese,  since  it  is  not  a  native 
term. 

These  kraals  are  important  structures  about  the 
homestead  of  a  boor,  —  almost  as  much  so  as  his 
own  dwelling-house,  which  of  itself  also  bears  the 
name  of  "  kraal." 


THE    KRAAL.  13 

As  young  Hendrik  and  Swartboy  rode  off  for  the 
horses  and  cattle,  Hans,  leaving  his  work  in  the 
garden,  proceeded  to  collect  the  sheep  and  drive 
them  home.  These  browsed  in  a  different  direction ; 
but,  as  they  were  near,  he  went  a-foot,  taking  little 
Jan  along  with  him. 

Trtiey,  having  tied  her  pet  to  a  post,  had  gone  in- 
side the  house  to  help  Totty  in  preparing  the  supper. 
Thus  the  field-cornet  was  left  to  himself  and  his  pipe, 
which  he  still  continued  to  smoke. 

He  sat  in  perfect  silence,  though  he  could  scarce 
restrain  from  giving  expression  to  the  satisfaction  he 
felt  at  seeing  his  family  thus  industriously  employed. 
Though  pleased  with  all  his  children,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed he  had  some  little  partiality  for  the  dashing 
Hendrik,  who  bore  his  own  name,  and  who  reminded 
him  more  of  his  own  youth  than  any  of  the  others. 
He  was  proud  of  Hendrik' s  gallant  horsemanship, 
and  his  eyes  followed  him  over  the  plain  until  the 
riders  were  nearly  a  mile  off,  and  already  mixing 
among  the  cattle. 

At  this  moment  an  object  came  under  the  eyes  of 
Von  Bloom,  that  at  once  arrested  his  attention.  It 
was  a  curious  appearance  along  the  lower  part  of  the 
sky,  in  the  direction  in  which  Hendrik  and  Swartboy 
had  gone,  but  apparently  beyond  them.  It  resem- 
bled a  dun-colored  mist  or  smoke,  as  if  the  plain  at  a 
great  distance  was  on  fire  I 

Could  that  be  so  ?  Had  some  one  fired  the  karoo 
bushes  ?  Or  was  it  a  cloud  of  dust  ? 

The  wind  was  hardly  strong  enough  to  raise  such 
a  dust,  and  yet  it  had  that  appearance.  Was  it 


14  THE    KRAAL. 

caused  by  animals  ?  Might  it  not  be  the  dust  raised 
by  a  great  herd  of  antelopes  —  a  migration  of  the 
springboks,  for  instance  ?  It  extended  for  miles 
along  the  horizon,  but  Von  Bloom  knew  that  these 
creatures  often  travel  in  flocks  of  greater  extent 
than  miles.  Still  he  could  not  think  it  was  that. 

He  continued  to  gaze  at  the  strange  phenomenon, 
endeavoring  to  account  for  it  in  various  ways.  It 
seemed  to  be  rising  higher  against  the  blue  sky  — 
now  resembling  dust,  now  like  the  smoke  of  a  wide- 
ly-spread conflagration,  and  now  like  a  reddish  cloud. 
It  was  in  the  west,  and  already  the  setting  sun  was 
obscured  by  it.  It  had  passed  over  the  sun's  disc 
like  a  screen,  and  his  light  no  longer  fell  upon  the 
plain.  Was  it  the  forerunner  of  some  terrible  storm  ? 
—  of  an  earthquake  ? 

Such  a  thought  crossed  the  mind  of  the  field-cornet. 
It  was  not  like  an  ordinary  cloud,  it  was  not  like  a 
cloud  of  dust,  it  was  not  like  smoke.  It  was  like 
nothing  he  had  ever  witnessed  before.  No  wonder 
that  he  became  anxious  and  apprehensive. 

All  at  once  the  dark-red  mass  seemed  to  envelop 
the  cattle  upon  the  plain,  and  these  could  be  seen 
running  to  and  fro  as  if  affrighted.  Then  the  two 
riders  disappeared  under  its  dun  shadow ! 

Yon  Bloom  rose  to  his  feet,  now  seriously  alarmed. 
What  could  it  mean  ? 

The  exclamation  to  which  he  gave  utterance 
brought  little  Triiey  and  Totty  from  the  house  ;  and 
Hans  with  Jan  had  now  got  back  with  the  sheep 
and  goats.  All  saw  the  singular  phenomenon,  but 


THE    KRAAL.  15 

none  of  them  could  tell  what  it  was.  All  were  in  a 
state  of  alarm. 

As  they  stood  gazing,  with  hearts  full  of  fear,  the 
two  riders  appeared  coming  out  of  the  cloud,  and 
then  they  were  seen  to  gallop  forward  over  the  plain 
in  the  direction  of  the  house.  They  came  on  at  full 
speed,  but  long  before  they  had  got  near,  the  voice 
of  Swartboy  could  be  heard  crying  out  — 

"  Baas  Von  Bloom  !  da  springaans  are  comin!- — 
da  springaan  !  —  da  springaan  I " 


16  THE     SPRINGHAAN. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    "  SPRINGHAAN." 

"  AH  I  the  springhaan  !  "  cried  Von  Bloom,  recog- 
nizing the  Dutch  name  for  the  far-famed  migratory 
locust. 

The  mystery  was  explained.  The  singular  cloud 
that  was  spreading  itself  over  the  plain  was  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a  flight  of  locusts  ! 

It  was  a  sight  that  none  of  them,  except  Swart- 
boy,  had  ever  witnessed  before.  His  master  had 
often  seen  locusts  in  small  quantities,  and  of  several 
species  —  for  there  are  many  kinds  of  these  singular 
insects  in  South  Africa.  But  that  which  now 
appeared  was  a  true  migratory  locust  (  Gryllus  devas- 
tatorius) ;  and  upon  one  of  its  great  migrations  —  an 
event  of  rarer  occurrence  than  travellers  would  have 
you  believe. 

Swartboy  knew  them  well ;  and,  although  he  an- 
nounced their  approach  in  a  state  of  great  excite- 
ment, it  was  not  the  excitement  of  terror. 

Quite  the  contrary.  His  great  thick  lips  were 
compressed  athwart  his  face  in  a  grotesque  expres- 
sion of  joy.  The  instincts  of  his  wild  race  were  busy 
within  him.  To  them  a  flight  of  locusts  is  not  an 
object  of  dread,  but  a  source  of  rejoicing;  their 


THE     SPRINGHAAN.  17 

coming  as  welcome  as  a  take  of  shrimps  to  a  Leigh 
fisherman,  or  harvest  to  the  husbandman. 

The  dogs,  too,  barked  and  howled  with  joy,  and 
frisked  about  as  if  they  were  going  out  upon  a  hunt. 
On  perceiving  the  cloud,  their  instinct  enabled  them 
easily  to  recognize  the  locusts.  They  regarded  them 
with  feelings  similar  to  those  that  stirred  Swartboy 
—  for  both  dogs  and  Bushmen  eat  the  insects  with 
avidity ! 

At  the  announcement  that  it  was  only  locusts,  all 
at  once  recovered  from  their  alarm.  Little  Triiey 
and  Jan  laughed,  clapped  their  hands,  and  waited 
with  curiosity  until  they  should  come  nearer.  All 
had  heard  enough  of  locusts  to  know  that  they  were 
only  grasshoppers,  that  neither  bit  nor  stung  any 
one  ;  and,  therefore,  no  one  was  afraid  of  them. 

Even  Von  Bloom  himself  was  at  first  very  little 
concerned  about  them.  After  his  feelings  of  appre- 
hension, the  announcement  that  it  was  a  flight  of 
locusts  was  a  relief,  and  for  a  while  he  did  not  dwell 
upon  the  nature  of  such  a  phenomenon,  but  only 
regarded  it  with  feelings  of  curiosity. 

Of  a  sudden  his  thoughts  took  a  new  direction. 
His  eye  rested  upon  his  fields  of  maize  and  buck- 
wheat, upon  his  garden  of  melons,  and  fruits,  and 
vegetables ;  a  new  alarm  seized  upon  him ;  the 
memory  of  many  stories  which  he  had  heard  in  rela- 
tion to  these  destructive  creatures  rushed  into  his 
mind,  and,  as  the  whole  truth  developed  itself,  he 
turned  pale,  and  uttered  new  exclamations  of  alarm. 

The  children  changed  countenance  as  well.  They 
2 


18  THE    SPRINGHAAN. 

saw  that  their  father  suffered,  though  they  knew  not 
why.  They  gathered  inquiringly  around  him. 

"  Alas  1  alas  !  Lost  I  lost !  "  exclaimed  he  ;  "  yes, 
all  our  crop  —  our  labor  of  the  year  —  gone,  gone  I 
0,  my  dear  children  !  " 

"  How  lost,  father  ?  how  gone  ?  "  exclaimed  sev- 
eral of  them  in  a  breath. 

"  See  the  springhaan  !  they  will  eat  up  our  crop  — 
all  —  all!" 

"  'T  is  true,  indeed,"  said  Hans,  who,  being  a 
great  student,  had  often  read  accounts  of  the  devas- 
tations committed  by  the  locusts. 

The  joyous  countenances  of  all  once  more  wore  a 
sad  expression,  and  it  was  no  longer  with  curiosity 
that  they  gazed  upon  the  distant  cloud,  that  so  sud- 
denly had  clouded  their  joy. 

Von  Bloom  had  good  cause  for  dread.  Should  the 
swarm  come  on,  and  settle  upon  his  fields,  farewell 
to  his  prospects  of  a  harvest.  They  would  strip  the 
verdure  from  his  whole  farm  in  a  twinkling.  They 
would  leave  neither  seed,  nor  leaf,  nor  stalk,  behind 
them. 

All  stood  watching  the  flight  with  painful  emotions. 
The  swarm  was  still  a  full  half-mile  distant.  They 
appeared  to  be  coming  no  nearer  —  good  ! 

A  ray  of  hope  entered  the  mind  of  the  field-cornet. 
He  took  off  his  broad  felt  hat,  and  held  it  up  to  the 
full  stretch  of  his  arm.  The  wind  was  "blowing  from 
the  north,  and  the  swarm  was  directly  to  the  west  of 
the  kraal.  The  cloud  of  locusts  had  approached 
from  the  north,  as .  they  almost  invariably  do  in  the 
southern  parts  of  Africa. 


THE    SPRINGHAAN.  19 

"  Yes,"  said  Hendrik,  who,  having  been  in  then 
midst,  could  tell  what  way  they  were  drifting,  "  they 
came  down  upon  us  from  a  northerly  direction. 
When  we  headed  our  horses  homewards,  we  soon 
galloped  out  from  them,  and  they  did  not  appear  to 
fly  after  us ;  I  am  sure  they  were  passing  south- 
wards." 

Von  Bloom  entertained  hopes  that,  as  none 
appeared  due  north  of  the  kraal,  the  swarm  might 
pass  on  without  extending  to  the  borders  of  his  farm. 
He  knew  that  they  usually  followed  the  direction  of. 
the  wind.  Unless  the  wind  changed,  they  would  not 
swerve  from  their  course. 

He  continued  to  watch  them  anxiously.  He  saw 
that  the  selvidge  of  the  cloud  came  no  nearer.  His 
hopes  rose.  His  countenance  grew  brighter.  The 
children  noticed  this  and  were  glad,  but  said  noth- 
ing. All  stood  silently  watching. 

An  odd  sight  it  was.  There  was  not  only  the 
misty  swarm  of  the  insects  to  gaze  upon.  The  air 
above  them  was  filled  with  birds  ;  strange  birds,  and 
of  many  kinds.  On  slow,  silent  wing  soared  the 
brown  "  oricou,"  the  largest  of  Africa's  vultures ; 
and  along  with  him  the  yellow  "  chasse  fiente,"  the 
vulture  of  Kolbe\  There  swept  the  bearded  "  lam- 
vanger,"  on  broad-extended  wings.  There  shrieked 
the  great  "  Caffre  eagle,"  and,  side  by  side  with 
him,  the  short-tailed  and  singular  "  bateleur." 
There,  too,  were  hawks  of  different  sizes  and  colors, 
and  kites  cutting  through  the  air,  and  crows  and 
ravens,  and  many  species  of  insectwora.  But  far 
more  numerous  than  all  the  rest  could  be  seen  the 


20  THE   SPRINGHAAN. 

little  springhaan-vogel,  a  speckled  bird  of  nearly  the 
size  and  form  of  a  swallow.  Myriads  of  these  dark- 
ened the  air  above ;  hundreds  of  them  continually 
shooting  down  among  the  insects,  and  soaring  up 
again,  each  with  a  victim  in  its  beak.  "  Locust- 
vultures77  are  these  creatures  named,  though  not 
vultures  in  kind.  They  feed  exclusively  on  these 
insects,  and  are  never  seen  where  the  locusts  are 
not.  They  follow  them  through  all  their  migrations, 
building  their  nests  and  rearing  their  young  in  the 
midst  of  their  prey  ! 

It  was,  indeed,  a  curious  sight  to  look  upon,  that 
swarm  of  winged  insects,  and  their  numerous  and 
varied  enemies ;  and  all  stood  gazing  upon  it  with 
feelings  of  wonder.  Still  the  living  cloud  approached 
no  nearer,  and  the  hopes  of  Yon  Bloom  continued  to 
rise. 

The  swarm  kept  extending  to  the  south  ;  in  fact, 
it  now  stretched  along  the  whole  western  horizon ; 
and  all  noticed  that  it  was  gradually  getting  lower 
down  ;  that  is,  its  top  edge  was  sinking  in  the 
heavens.  Were  the  locusts  passing  off  to  the  west  ? 
No. 

"  Da  am  goin  roost  for  da  nacht ;  now  we  '11  get 
'em  in  bagfull/7  said  Swartboy,  with  a  pleased  look  ; 
for  Swartboy  was  a  regular  locust-eater,  as  fond  of 
them  as  either  eagle  or  kite  —  ay,  as  the  "spring- 
haan-vogel "  itself. 

It  was  as  Swartboy  had  stated.  The  swarm  was 
actually  settling  down  on  the  plain. 

"  Can't  fly  without  sun/\  continued  the  Bushman. 
"  Too  cold  now.  Dey  go  dead  till  da  mornin." 


THE    SPRINGHAAN.  21 

And  so  it  was.  The  sun  had  set.  The  cool 
breeze  weakened  the  wings  of  the  insect-travellers  ; 
and  they  were  compelled  to  make  halt  for  the  night 
upon  the  trees,  bushes,  and  grass. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  dark  mist  that  had  hid  the 
blue  rim  of  the  sky  was  seen  no  more ;  but  the 
distant  plain  looked  as  if  a  fire  had  swept  over  it. 
It  was  thickly  covered  with  the  bodies  of  the  insects, 
that  gave  it  a  blackened  appearance,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach. 

The  attendant  birds,  perceiving  the  approach  of 
night,  screamed  for  a  while,  and  then  scattered  away 
through  the  heavens.  Some  perched  upon  the  rocks, 
while  others  went  to  roost  among  the  low  thickets 
of  mimosa  ;  and  now  for  a  short  interval  both  earth 
and  air  were  silent. 

Yon  Bloom  now  bethought  him  of  his  cattle. 
Their  forms  were  seen  afar  off  in  the  midst  of  the 
locust-covered  plain. 

"  Let  'em  feed  urn  little  while,  baas,"  suggested 
Swartboy. 

'"  On  what?"  inquired  his  master.  "  Don't  you 
see  the  grass  is  covered  !  " 

"  On  de  springhaan  demself,  baas,"  replied  the 
Bushman ;  "  good  for  fatten  big  ox,  better  dan 
grass  ;  ya,  better  dan  mealies." 

But  it  was  too  late  to  leave  the  cattle  longer  out 
upon  the  plain.  The  lions  would  soon  be  abroad  ; 
the  sooner  because  of  the  locusts,  for  the  king  of 
beasts  does  not  disdain  to  fill  his  royal  stomach  with 
these  insects  —  when  he  can  find  them. 


22  THE    SPRINGHAAN. 

Von  Bloom  saw  the  necessity  of  bringing  his  cat- 
tle at  once  to  their  kraal. 

A  third  horse  was  saddled,  which  the  field-cornet 
himself  mounted,  and  rode  off,  followed  by  Hendrik 
and  Swartboy. 

On  approaching  the  locusts  they  beheld  a  sin- 
gular sight.  The  ground  was  covered  with  these 
reddish-brown  creatures,  in  some  spots  to  the  depth 
of  several  inches.  What  bushes  there  were  were 
clustered  with  them ;  all  over  the  leaves  and 
branches,  as  if  swarms  of  bees  had  settled  upon 
them.  Not  a  leaf  or  blade  of  grass  that  was  not 
covered  with  their  bodies. 

They  moved  not,  but  remained  silent,  as  if  torpid 
or  asleep.  The  cold  of  the  evening  had  deprived 
them  of  the  power  of  flight. 

What  was  strangest  of  all  to  the  eyes  of  Von 
Bloom  and  Hendrik,  was  the  conduct  of  their  own 
horses  and  cattle.  These  were  some  distance  out  in 
the  midst  of  the  sleeping  host ;  but,  instead  of  being 
alarmed  at  their  odd  situation,  they  were  greedily 
gathering  up  the  insects  in  mouthfuls,  and  crunch- 
ing them  as  though  they  had  been  corn  I 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  they  could  be 
driven  off ;  but  the  roar  of  a  lion,  that  was  just  then 
heard  over  the  plain,  and  the  repeated  application 
of  Swartboy 's  jambok,  rendered  them  more  tractable, 
and  at  length  they  suffered  themselves  to  be  driven 
home,  and  lodged  within  their  kraals. 

Swartboy  had  provided  himself  with  a  bag,  which 
he  carried  back  full  of  locusts. 

It  was  observed  that  in   collecting  the   insects 


THE    SPRINGHAAN.  23 

into  the  bag  he  acted  with  some  caution,  handling 
them  very  gingerly,  as  if  he  was  afraid  of  them. 
It  was  not  them  he  feared,  but  snakes,  which,  upon 
such  occasions,  are  very  plenteous,  and  very  much 
to  be  dreaded  —  as  the  Bushman,  from  experience, 
well  knew. 


24  A   TALK   ABOUT  LOCUSTS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A   TALK  ABOUT   LOCUSTS. 

IT  was  a  night  of  anxiety  in  the  kraal  of  the  field- 
cornet.  Should  the  wind  veer  round  to  the  west,  to 
a  certainty  the  locusts  would  cover  his  land  in  the 
morning,  and  the  result  would  be  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  his  crops.  Perhaps  worse  than  that.  Per- 
haps the  whole  vegetation  around,  for  fifty  miles  or 
more,  might  be  destroyed  ;  and  then  how  would  his 
cattle  be  fed  ?  It  would  be  no  easy  matter  even  to 
save  their  lives.  They  might  perish  before  he  could 
drive  them  to  any  other  pasturage. 

Such  a  thing  was  by  no  means  uncommon  or  im- 
probable. In  the  history  of  the  Cape  colony  many 
a  boor  had  lost*his  flocks  in  this  very  way.  No 
wonder  there  was  anxiety  that  night  in  the  kraal  of 
the  field-cornet. 

At  intervals  Von  Bloom  went  out  to  ascertain 
whether  there  was  any  change  in  the  wind.  Up  to 
a  late  hour  he  could  perceive  none.  A  gentle  breeze 
still  blew  from  the  north,  from  the  great  Kalihari 
desert,  whence,  no  doubt,  the  locusts  had  come. 
The  moon  was  bright,  and  her  light  gleamed  over 
the  host  of  insects  that  darkly  covered  the  plain. 
The  roar  of  the  lion  could  be  heard  mingling  with 
the  shrill  scream  of  the  jackal,  and  the  maniac  laugh 


A    TALK    ABOUT    LOCUSTS.  25 

of  the  hyena.  All  these  beasts,  and  many  more, 
were  enjoying  a  plenteous  repast. 

Perceiving  no  change  in  the  wind,  Von  Bloom 
became  less  uneasy,  and  they  all  conversed  freely 
about  the  locusts.  Swartboy  took  a  leading  part  in 
this  conversation,  as  he  was  better  acquainted  with 
the  subject  than  any  of  them.  It  was  far  from  being 
the  first  flight  of  locusts  Swartboy  had  seen,  and 
many  a  bushel  of  them  had  he  eaten.  It  was  natural 
to  suppose,  therefore,  that  he  knew  a  good  deal 
about  them. 

He  knew  not  whence  they  came.  That  was  a 
point  about  which  Swartboy  had  never  troubled 
himself.  The  learned  Hans  offered  an  explanation 
of  their  origin. 

"  They  come  from  the  desert/7  said  he.  "  The 
eggs  from  which  they  are  produced  are  deposited 
in  the  sands  or  dust ;  where  they  lie  'until  rain  falls, 
and  causes  the  herbage  to  spring  up.  Then  the 
locusts  are  hatched,  and  in  their  first  stage  are  sup- 
ported upon  this  herbage.  When  it  becomes  ex- 
hausted, they  are  compelled  to  go  in  search  of  food. 
Hence  these  '  migrations/  as  they  are  called.77 

This  explanation  seemed  clear  enough. 

"  Now,  I  have  heard/7  said  Ilendrik,  "  of  farmers 
kindling  fires  around  their  crops  to  keep  off  the 
locusts.  I  can7t  see  how  fires  would  keep  them  off; 
not  even  if  a  regular  fence  of  fire  were  made  all 
round  a  field.  These  creatures  have  wings,  and 
could  easily  fly  over  the  fires.77 

"  The  fires/7  replied  Hans,  "  are  kindled  in  order 
that  the  smoke  may  prevent  them  from  alighting ; 


26  A    TALK    ABOUT   LOCUSTS. 

but  the  locusts  to  which  these  accounts  usually  refer 
are  without  wings,  called  voetgangers  (foot-goers). 
They  are,  in  fact,  the  larvce  of  these  locusts,  before 
they  have  obtained  their  wings.  These  have  also 
their  migrations,  that  are  often  more  destructive  than 
those  of  the  perfect  insects,  such  as  we  see  here. 
They  proceed  over  the  ground  by  crawling  and  leap- 
ing like  grasshoppers ;  for,  indeed,  they  are  grass- 
hoppers—  a  species  of  them.  They  keep  on  in  one 
direction,  as  if  they  were  guided  by  instinct  to  follow 
a  particular  course.  Nothing  can  interrupt  them  in 
their  onward  march,  unless  the  sea  or  some  broad 
and  rapid  river.  Small  streams  they  can  swim 
across  ;  and  large  ones,  too,  where  they  run  slug- 
gishly ;  walls  and  houses  they  can  climb,  even  the 
chimneys,  going  straight  over  them ;  and  the  mo- 
ment they  have  reached  the  other  side  of  any  obsta- 
cle, they  continue  straight  onward  in  the  old 
direction. 

"  In  attempting  to  cross  broad  rapid  rivers,  they 
are  drowned  in  countless  myriads,  and  swept  off  to 
the  sea.  When  it  is  only  a  small  migration,  the 
farmers  sometimes  keep  them  off  by  means  of  fires, 
as  you  have  heard.  On  the  contrary,  when  large 
numbers  appear,  even  the  fires  are  of  no  avail." 

"  But  how  is  that,  brother  ?  "  inquired  Hendrik. 
"  I  can  understand  how  fires  would  stop  the  kind 
you  speak  of,  since  you  say  they  are  without  wings. 
But,  since  they  are  so,  how  do  they  get  through  the 
fires  ?  Jump  them  ?  " 

"  No,  not  so,"  replied  Hans.  "  The  fires  are  built 
too  wide  and  large  for  that." 


A   TALK   ABOUT   LOCUSTS.  27 

"Row  then,  brother  ?"  asked  Hendrik.  "  I  ;m 
puzzled." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  little  Jan. 

"  And  I,"  added  Triiey. 

''  Well,  then,"  continued  Hans,  "  millions  of  the 
insects  crawl  into  the  fires  and  put  them  out !  " 

"  Ho !  "  cried  all,  in  astonishment.  "  How  ?  Are 
they  not  burned?" 

"  Of  course,"  replied  Hans.  "  They  are  scorched 
and  killed  —  myriads  of  them  quite  burned  up.  But 
their  bodies  crowded  thickly  on  the  fires  choke  them 
out.  The  foremost  ranks  of  the  great  host  thus  be- 
come victims,  and  the  others  pass  safely  across  upon 
the  holocaust  thus  made.  So  you  see  even  fires 
cannot  stop  the  course  of  the  locusts,  when  they  are 
in  great  numbers. 

"  In  many  parts  of  Africa,  where  the  natives  cul- 
tivate the  soil,  as  soon  as  they  discover  a  migration 
of  these  insects,  and  perceive  that  they  are  heading 
in  the  direction  of  their  fields  and  gardens,  quite  a 
panic  is  produced  among  them.  They  know  that 
they  will  lose  their  crops  to  a  certainty,  and  hence 
dread  a  visitation  of  locusts  as  they  would  an  earth- 
quake, or  some  other  great  calamity." 

"We  can  well  understand  their  feelings  upon 
such  an  occasion,"  remarked  Hendrik,  with  a  sig- 
nificant look. 

"  The  flying  locusts,"  continued  Hans,  "  seem 
less  to  follow  a  particular  direction  than  their  larvee. 
The  former  seem  to  be  guided  by  the  wind.  Fre- 
quently this  carries  them  all  into  the  sea,  where 
they  perish  in  vast  numbers.  On  some  parts  of  the 


28  A    TALK    ABOUT    LOCUSTS. 

coast  their  dead  bodies  have  been  found  washed  back 
to  land  in  quantities  incredible.  At  one  place  the 
sea  threw  them  upon  the  beach,  until  they  lay  piled 
up  in  a  ridge  four  feet  in  height,  and  fifty  miles  in 
length  !  It  has  been  asserted  by  several  well-known 
travellers  that  the  effluvium  from  this  mass  tainted 
the  air  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  perceived  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  inland." 

"  Heigh  !  "  exclaimed  little  Jan.  "  I  did  n't  think 
anybody  had  so  good  a  nose." 

At  little  Jan's  remark  there  was  a  general  laugh. 
Von  Bloom  did  not  join  in  their  merriment.  He  was 
in  too  serious  a  mood  just  then. 

"  Papa,"  inquired  little  Triiey,  perceiving  that 
her  father  did  not  laugh,  and  thinking  to  draw  him 
into  the  conversation  —  "  Papa  !  were  these  the  kind 
of  locusts  eaten  by  John  the  Baptist  when  in  the 
desert  ?  His  food,  the  Bible  says,  was  '  locusts  and 
wild  honey.7  7 

"  I  believe  these  are  the  same,"  replied  the  father. 

"  I  think,  papa,"  modestly  rejoined  Hans,  "  they 
are  not  exactly  the  same,  but  a  kindred  species.  The 
locust  of  Scripture  was  the  true  Gryllus  migratorius, 
and  different  from  those  of  South  Africa,  though  very 
similar  in  its  habits.  But,"  continued  he,  "  some 
writers  dispute  that  point  altogether.  The  Abys- 
sinians  say  it  was  beans  of  the  locust-tree,  and  «ot 
insects,  that  were  the  food  of  St.  John." 

"  What  is  your  own  opinion,  Hans  ?  "  inquired 
Hendrik,  who  had  a  great  belief  in  his  brother's 
book-knowledge. 

"Why,  I  think,"  replied  Hans,  "there  need  be? 


A   TALK    ABOUT   LOCUSTS.  29 

no  question  about  it.  It  is  only  torturing  the  mean- 
ing of  a  word  to  suppose  that  St.  John  ate  the  locust 
fruit,  and  not  the  insect.  I  am  decidedly  of  opinion 
that  the  latter  is  meant  in  Scripture  ;  and  what 
makes  me  think  so  is,  that  these  two  kinds  of  food, 
'  locusts  and  wild  honey/  are  often  coupled  together, 
as  forming  at  the  present  time  the  subsistence  of 
many  tribes  who  are  denizens  of  the  desert.  Be- 
sides, we  have  good  evidence  that  both  were  used 
as  food  by  desert-dwelling  people  in  the  days  of 
Scripture.  It  is,  therefore,  but  natural  to  suppose 
that  St.  John,  when  in  the  desert,  was  forced  to 
partake  of  this  food ;  just  as  many  a  traveller  of 
modern  times  has  eaten  of  it  when  crossing  the 
deserts  that  surround  us  here  in  South  Africa. 

"  I  have  rea4  a  great  many  books  about  locusts/' 
continued  Hans  ;  "  and  now  that  the  Bible  has  been 
mentioned,  I  must  say,  for  my  part,  I  know  no  ac- 
count given  of  these  insects  so  truthful  and  beautiful 
as  that  in  the  Bible  itself.  Shall  I  read  it,  papa  ?  " 

"  By  all  means,  my  boy/'  said  the  field-cornet, 
rather  pleased  at  the  request  which  his  son  had 
made,  and  at  the  tenor  of  the  conversation. 

Little  Triiey  ran  into  the  inner  room  and  brought 
out  an  immense  volume  bound  in  gemsbok  skin,  with 
a  couple  of  strong  brass  clasps  upon  it  to  keep  it 
closed.  This  was  the  family  Bible  ;  and  here  let  me 
observe  that  a  similar  book  may  be  found  in  the 
house  of  nearly  every  boor,  for  these  Dutch  colonists 
are  a  Protestant  and  Bible-loving  people ;  so  much 
so,  that  they  think  nothing  of  going  a  hundred  miles, 
four  times  in  the  year,  to  attend  the  nacht-maal,  or 


30  A    TALK    ABOUT    LOCUSTS. 

sacramental    supper.       What    do    you    think    of 
that? 

Hans  opened  the  volume,  and  turned  at  once  to 
the  book  of  the  prophet  Joel.  From  the  readiness 
with  which  he  found  the  passage,  it  was  evident 
he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  book  he  held  in  his 
hands. 

He  read  as  follows  : 

"  A  day  of  darkness  and  of  gloominess,  a  day  of 
clouds  and  of  thick  darkness,  as  the  morning  spread 
upon  the  mountains ;  a  great  people  and  a  strong : 
there  hath  not  been  ever  the  like,  neither  shall  be 
any  more  after  it,  even  to  the  years  of  many  genera- 
tions. A  fire  devoureth  before  them,  and  behind 
them  a  flame  burneth :  the  land  is  as  the  garden  of 
Eden  before  them,  and  behind  them^a  desolate  wil- 
derness ;  yea,  and  nothing  shall  escape  them.  The 
appearance  of  them  is  as  the  appearance  of  horses ; 
and  as  horsemen,  so  shall  they  run.  Like  the  noise 
of  chariots  on  the  tops  of  mountains  shall  they  leap, 
like  the  noise  of  a  flame  of  fire  that  devoureth  the 
stubble,  as  a  strong  people  set  in  battle  array." 
"  The  earth  shall  quake  before  them ;  the  heavens 
shall  tremble  ;  the  sun  and  the  moon  shall  be  dark, 
and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their  shining.'7  "  How 
do  the  beasts  groan  !  the  herds  of  cattle  are  per- 
plexed, because  they  have  no  pasture  ;  yea,  the  flocks 
of  sheep  are  made  desolate." 

Even  the  rude  Swartboy  could  perceive  the  poetic 
beauty  of  this  description, 

But  Swartboy  had  much  to  say  about  the  locusts, 
as  well  as  the  inspired  Joel. 

• 


A    TALK   ABOUT   LOCUSTS.  31 

Thus  spoke  Swartboy  : 

"  Bushman  no  fear  da  springhaan.  Bushman  hab 
no  garden,  no  maize,  no  buckwheat,  no  nothing  for 
da  springhaan  to  eat.  Bushman  eat  locust  himself ; 
he  grow  fat  on  da  locust.  Ebery  thing  eat  dem  dar 
springhaan.  Ebery  thing  grow  fat  in  da  locust  sea- 
son. Ho  !  den  for  dem  springhaan!  " 

These  remarks  of  Swartboy  were  true  enough. 
The  locusts  are  eaten  by  almost  every  species  of 
animal  known  in  South  Africa.  Not  only  do  the 
carnivora  greedily  devour  them,  but  also  animals 
and  birds  of  the  game  kind  ;  such  as  antelopes,  par- 
tridges, guinea-fowls,  bustards,  and,  strange  to  say, 
the  giant  of  all,  the  huge  elephant,  will  travel  for 
miles  to  overtake  a  migration  of  locusts.  Domestic 
fowls,  sheep,  horses,  and  dogs,  devour  them  with 
equal  greediness.  Still  another  strange  fact  —  the 
locusts  eat  one  another  I  If  any  one  of  them  gets 
hurt,  so  as  to  impede  his  progress,  the  others  imme- 
diately turn  upon  him  and  eat  him  up. 

The  Bushmen  and  other  native  races  of  Africa 
submit  the  locusts  to  a  process  of  cookery  before 
eating  them  j  and  during  the  whole  evening  Swart- 
boy had  been  engaged  in  preparing  the  bagful  which 
he* had  collected.  He  "  cooked"  them  thus  : 

He  first  boiled,  or  rather  steamed  them,  fortmly  a 
small  quantity  of  water  was  put  into  the  pot.  This 
process  lasted  two  hours.  They  were  then  taken 
out,  and  allowed  to  dry  ;  and  after  that  shaken  about 
in  a  pan,  until  all  the  legs  and  wings  were  broken 
off  from  the  bodies.  A  winnowing  process,  Swart- 
boy's  thick  lips  acting  as  a  fan,  was  next  gone 


32  A   TALK    ABOUT    LOCUSTS. 

through ;  and  the  legs  and  wings  were  thus  got  rid 
of.  The  locusts  were  then  ready  for  eating. 

A  little  salt  only  was  required  to  render  them 
more  palatable,  when  all  present  made  trial  of,  and 
some  of  the  children  even  liked  them.  By  many, 
locusts  prepared  in  this  way  are  considered  quite 
equal  to  shrimps. 

Sometimes  they  are  pounded  when  quite  dry  into 
a  sort  of  meal,  and,  with  water  added  to  them,  are 
made  into  a  kind  of  stirabout. 

When  well  dried,  they  will  keep  for  a  long  time  ; 
and  they  frequently  form  the  only  store  of  food 
which  the  poorer  natives  have  to  depend  upon  for  a 
whole  season. 

Among'  many  tribes,  particularly  among  those  who 
are  not  agricultural,  the  coming  of  the  locusts  is  a 
source  of  rejoicing.  These  people  turn  out  with 
sacks,  and  often  with  pack-oxen,  to  collect  and  bring 
them  to  their  villages ;  and  on  such  occasions  vast 
heaps  of  them  are  accumulated  and  stored,  in  the 
same  way  as  grain. 

Conversing  of  these  things  the  night  passed  on 
until  it  was  time  for  going  to  bed.  The  field-cornet 
went  out  once  again  to  observe  the  wind  ;  and  then 
the  door  of  the  little  kraal  was  closed,  and  the  family 
retired  to  rest. 


THE   LOCUST-FLIGHT. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    LOCUST-FLIGHT. 

THE  field-cornet  slept  but  little.  Anxiety  kept 
him  awake.  He  turned  and  tossed,  and  thought  of 
the  locusts.  He  napped  at  intervals,  and  dreamt 
about  locusts,  and  crickets,  and  grasshoppers,  and 
all  manner  of  great  long-legged,  goggle-eyed  insects. 
He  was  glad  when  the  first  ray  of  light  penetrated 
through  the  little  window  of  his  chamber. 

He  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  scarce  staying  to 
dress  himself,  rushed  out  into  the  open  air.  It  was 
still  dark,  but  he  did  not  require  to  see  the  wind. 
He  did  not  need  to  toss  a  feather  or  hold  up  his  hat. 
The  truth  was  too  plain.  A  strong  breeze  was  blow- 
ing— it  was  blowing/Tom  the  west! 

Half  distracted,  he  ran  further  out  to  assure  him- 
self. He  ran  until  clear  of  the  walls  that  enclosed 
the  kraals  and  garden. 

He  halted  and  felt  the  air.  Alas  !  his  first  impres- 
sion was  correct.  The  breeze  blew  directly  from 
the  west  —  directly  from  the  locusts.  He  could  per- 
ceive the  effluvium  borne  from  the  hateful  insects ; 
there  was  no  longer  cause  to  doubt.  •* 

Groaning  in   spirit,  Von  Bloom   returned  to   his 
house.     He  had  no  longer  any  hope  of  escaping  the 
terrible  visitation. 
3 


34  THE    LOCUST-FLIGHT. 

His  first  directions  were  to  collect  all  the  loose 
pieces  of  linen  or  clothing  in  the  house,  and  pack 
them  within  the  family  chests.  What !  would  the 
locusts  be  likely  to  eat  them  ? 

Indeed,  yes  —  for  these  voracious  creatures  are  not 
fastidious.  No  particular  vegetable  seems  to  be 
chosen  by  them.  The  leaves  of  the  bitter  tobacco- 
plant  appear  to  be  as  much  to  their  liking  as  the  sweet 
and  succulent  blades  of  maize.  Pieces  of  linen,  cot- 
ton, and  even  flannel,  are  devoured  by  them,  as  though 
they  were  the  tender  shoots  of  plants.  Stones,  iron, 
and  hard  wood,  are  about  the  only  objects  that  escape 
their  fierce  masticators. 

Von  Bloom  had  heard  this,  Hans  had  read  of  it, 
and  Swartboy  confirmed  it  from  his  own  experience. 

Consequently,  everything  that  was  at  all  destruct- 
ible was  carefully  stowed  away  ;  and  then  breakfast 
was  cooked  and  eaten  in  silence. 

There  was  a  gloom  over  the  faces  of  all,  because  he 
who  was  the  head  of  all  was  silent  and  dejected. 
What  a  change  within  a  few  hours  !  But  the  evening 
before  the  field-cornet  and  his  little  family  were  in 
the  full  enjoyment  of  happiness. 

There  was  still  one  hope,  though  a  slight  one. 
Might  it  yet  rain?  Or  might  the  day  turn  out 
cold? 

In  either  case  Swartboy  said  the  locusts  could  not 
take  wing  —  for  they  cannot  fly  in  cold  or  rainy 
weather.  In  the  ievent  of  a  cold  or  wet  day  they 
would  have  to  remain  as  they  were,  and  perhaps  the 
wind  might  change  round  again  before  they  resumed 


THE   LOCUST-FLIGHT. 

their  flight.   0,  for  a  torrent  of  rain,  or  a  cold,  cloudy 
day! 

Vain  wish  !  vain  hope  !  In  half  an  hour  after,  the 
sun  rose  up  in  African  splendor,  and  his  hot  rays, 
slanting  down  upon  the  sleeping  host,  warmed  them 
into  life  and  activity.  They  commenced  to  crawl,  to 
hop  about,  and  then,  as  if  by  one  impulse,  myriads 
rose  into  the  air.  The  breeze  impelled  them  in  the 
direction  in  which  it  was  blowing, —  in  the  direction 
of  the  devoted  maize-fields. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  from  the  time  they  had 
taken  wing,  they  were  over  the  kraal,  and  dropping 
in  tens  of  thousands  upon  the  surrounding  fields. 
Slow  was  their  flight,  and  gentle  their  descent,  and 
to  the  eyes  of  those  beneath  they  presented  the 
appearance  of  a  shower  of  black  snow,  falling  in 
large  feathery  flakes.  In  a  few  moments  the  ground 
was  completely  covered,  until  every  stalk  of  maize, 
every  plant  and  bush,  carried  its  hundreds.  On 
the  outer  plains,  too,  as  far  as  eye  could  see,  the 
pasture  was  strewed  thickly  ;  and  as  the  great  flight 
had  now  passed  to  the  eastward  of  the  house, 
the  sun's  disk  was  again  hidden  by  them,  as  if  by  an 
eclipse  I 

They  seemed  to  move  in  a  kind  of  echellon,  the 
bands  in  the  rear  constantly  flying  to  the  front,  and 
then  halting  to  feed,  until  in  turn  these  were  headed 
by  others  that  had  advanced  over  them  in  a  similar 
manner. 

The  noise  produced  by  their  wings  was  not  the 
least  curious  phenomenon,  and  resembled  a  steady 


36  THE    LOCUST-FLIGHT. 

breeze  playing  among  the  leaves  of  the  forest,  or  the 
sound  of  a  water-wheel. 

For  two  hours  this  passage  continued.  During 
most  of  that  time  Von  Bloom  and  his  people  had 
remained  within  the  house,  with  closed  doors  and 
windows.  This  they  did  to  avoid  the  unpleasant 
shower,  as  the  creatures,  impelled  by  the  breeze, 
often  strike  the  cheek  so  forcibly  as  to  cause  a  feeling 
of  pain.  Moreover,  they  did  not  like  treading  upon 
the  unwelcome  intruders,  and  crushing  them  under 
their  feet,  which  they  must  have  done,  had  they 
moved  about  outside,  where  the  ground  was  thickly 
covered. 

Many  of  the  insects  even  crawled  inside,  through 
the  chinks  of  the  door  and  windows,  and  greedily 
devoured  any  vegetable  substance  which  happened 
to  be  lying  about  the  floor. 

At  the  end  of  two  hours  Von  Bloom  looked  forth. 
The  thickest  of  the  flight  had  passed.  The  sun  was 
again  shining ;  but  upon  what  was  he  shining  ?  No 
longer  upon  green  fields  and  a  flowery  garden.  No. 
Around  the  house,  on  every  side,  north,  south,  east, 
and  west,  the  eye  rested  only  on  black  desolation. 
Not  a  blade  of  grass,  not  a  leaf,  could  be  seen  —  even 
the  very  bark  was  stripped  from  the  trees,  that  now 
stood  as  if  withered  by  the  hand  of  God  I  Had  fire 
swept  the  surface,  it  could  not  have  left  it  more 
naked  and  desolate.  There  was  no  garden,  there 
were  no  fields  of  maize  or  buckwheat,  there  was  no 
longer  a  farm  —  the  kraal  stood  in  the  midst  of  a 
desert ! 

Words  cannot  depict  the  emotions  of  the  field- 


THE   LOCUST-FLIGHT.  37 

cornet  at  that  moment.  The  pen  cannot  describe  his 
painful  feelings. 

Such  a  change  in  two  hours  I  He  could  scarce 
credit  his  senses  —  he  could  scarce  believe  in  its 
reality.  He  knew  that  the  locusts  would  eat  up  his 
maize,  and  his  wheat,  and  the  vegetables  of  his 
garden;  but  his  fancy  had  fallen  far  short  of  the 
extreme  desolation  that  had  actually  been  produced. 
The  whole  landscape  was  metamorphosed;  grass 
was  out  of  the  question  —  trees,  whose  delicate 
foliage  had  played  in  the  soft,  breeze  but  two  short 
hours  before,  now  stood  leafless,  scathed  by  worse 
than  winter.  The  very  ground  seemed  altered  in 
shape.  He  would  not  have  known  it  as  his  own 
farm.  Most  certainly,  had  the  owner  been  absent 
during  the  period  of  the  locust-flight,  and  approached 
without  any  information  of  what  had  been  passing, 
he  would  not  have  recognized  the  place  of  his  own 
habitation ! 

With  the  phlegm  peculiar  to  his  race,  the  field- 
cornet  sat  down,  and  remained  for  a  long  time  with- 
out speech  or  movement. 

His  children  gathered  near,  and  looked  on,  their 
young  hearts  painfully  throbbing.  They  could  not 
fully  appreciate  the  difficult  circumstances  in  which 
this  occurrence  had  placed  them ;  nor  did  their 
father  himself,  at  first.  He  thought  only  of  the  loss 
he  had  sustained,  in  the  destruction  of  his  fine  crops : 
and  this  of  itself,  when  we  consider  his  isolated  situa- 
tion, and  the  hopelessness  of  restoring  them,  was 
enough  to  cause  him  very  great  chagrin. 

"  Gone  !  all  gone  I "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  sorrowing 


38  THE    LOCUST-FLIGHT. 

voice.  "01  Fortune  —  Fortune  —  again  art  thou 
cruel ! " 

"  Papa,  do  not  grieve  !  "  said  a  soft  voice  ;  "  we 
are  all  alive  yet,  we  are  here  by  your  side ;  "  and 
with  the  words  a  little  white  hand  was  laid  upon 
his  shoulder.  It  was  the  hand  of  the  beautiful 
Truey. 

It  seemed  as  if  an  angel  had  smiled  upon  him. 
He  lifted  the  child  in  his  arms,  and  in  a  paroxysm 
of  fondness  pressed  her  to  his  heart.  That  heart  felt 
relieved. 

"  Bring  me  the  Book/7  said  he,  addressing  one  of 
the  boys. 

The  Bible  was  brought,  its  massive  covers  were 
opened,  a  verse  was  chosen,  and  the  song  of  praise 
rose  up  in  the  midst  of  the  desert. 

The  Book  was  closed,  and  for  some  minutes  all 
knelt  in  prayer. 

When  Von  Bloom  again  stood  upon  his  feet,  and 
looked  around  him,  the  desert  seemed  once  more  to 
"rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose." 

Upon  the  human  heart  such  is  the  magic  influence 
of  resignation  and  humility. 


IXSPANN    AND    TREK  !  "  39 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"INSPANN   AND   TREK!" 

WITH  all  his  confidence  in  the  protection  of  a  Su- 
preme Being,  Yon  Bloom  knew  that  he  was  not  to 
leave  everything  to  the  Divine  hand.  That  was 
not  the  religion  he  had  been  taught ;  and  he  at 
once  set  about  taking  measures  to  extricate  himself 
from  the  unpleasant  position  in  which  he  was  placed. 
*  Unpleasant  position  !  Ha !  It  was  more  than  un- 
pleasant, as  the  field-cornet  began  to  perceive.  It 
was  a  position  of peril! 

The  more  Von  Bloom  reflected,  the  more  was  he 
convinced  of  this.  There  they  were,  in  the  middle 
of  a  black  naked  plain,  that  without  a  green  spot 
extended  beyond  the  limits  of  vision.  How  much 
further  he  could  not  guess  ;  but  he  knew  that  the  de- 
vastations of  the  migratory  locust  sometimes  cover 
an  area  of  thousands  of  miles.  It  was  certain  that 
the  one  that  had  just  swept  past  was  on  a  very  ex- 
tensive scale. 

It  was  evident  he  could  no  longer  remain  by  his 
kraal.  His  horses,  and  cattle,  and  sheep,  could  not 
live  without  food  ;  and  should  these  perish,  upon  what 
were  he  and  his  family  to  subsist  ?  He  must  leave 
the  kraal.  He  must  go  in  search  of  pasture,  without 
loss  of  time, —  at  once.  Already  the  animals,  shut 


40 

up  beyond  their  usual  hour,  were  uttering  their  varied 
cries,  impatient  to  be  let  out.  They  would  soon 
hunger ;  and  it  was  hard  to  say  when  food  could  be 
procured  for  them. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  Every  hour  was  of 
great  importance, —  even  minutes  must  not  be  wasted 
in  dubious  hesitation. 

The  field-cornet  spent  but  a  few  minutes  in  consid- 
eration. Whether  should  he  mount  one  of  his  best 
horses,  and  ride  off  alone  in  search  of  pasture  ?  or 
whether  would  it  not  be  better  to  "inspann"  his 
wagon,  and  take  everything  along  with  him  at 
once  ? 

He  soon  decided  in  favor  of  the  latter  course.  In 
any  case  he  would  have  been  compelled  to  move 
from  his  present  location, —  to  leave  the  kraal  alto- 
gether. 

He  might  as  well  take  everything  at  once.  Should 
he  go  out  alone,  it  might  cost  him  a  long  time  to  find 
grass  and  water, —  for  both  would  be  necessary, — 
and,  meantime,  his  stock  would  be  suffering. 

These  and  other  considerations  decided  him  at  once 
to  "inspann"  and  "trek"  away,  with  his  wagon, 
his  horses,  his  cattle,  his  sheep,  his  "household 
gods/'  and  his  whole  family  circle. 

"Inspann  and  trek!"  was  the  command;  and 
Swartboy,  who  was  proud  of  the  reputation  he  had 
earned  as  a  wagon-driver,  was  now  seen  waving  his 
bamboo  whip  like  a  great  fishing-rod. 

"  Inspann  and  trek  1 "  echoed  Swartboy,  tying 
upon  his  twenty-feet  lash  a  new  cracker,  which 


"INSPANN    AND    TREK  !  77  41 

he  had  twisted  out  of  the  skin  of  the  hartebeest 
antelope. 

"  Inspann  and  trek !  "  he  repeated,  making  his 
vast  whip  crack  like  a  pistol;  "yes,  baas,  I  711  in- 
spann ; 77  and,  having  satisfied  himself  that  his 
"  voorslag77  was  properly  adjusted,  Swartboy  rested 
the  bamboo  handle  against  the  side  of  the  house, 
and  proceeded  to  the  kraal  to  collect  the  yoke-oxen. 

A  large  wagon,  of  a  sort  that  is  the  pride  and 
property  of  every  Cape  farmer,  stood  to  one  side  of 
the  house.  It  was  a  vehicle  of  the  first  class, —  a 
regular  "  cap-tent77  wagon, —  that  had  been  made  for 
the  field-cornet  in  his  better  days,  and  in  which  he 
had  been  used  to  drive  his  wife  and  children  to  the 
"  nachtmaal,77  and  upon  vrolykheids  (parties  of  pleas- 
ure.) In  those  days  a  team  of  eight  fine  horses  used 
to  draw  it  along  at  a  rattling  rate.  Alas  !  oxen  had 
now  to  take  their  place  ;  for  Von  Bloom  had  but  five 
horses  in  his  whole  stud,  and  these  were  required  for 
the  saddle.  . 

But  the  wagon  was  almost  as  good  as  ever  it  had 
been, —  almost  as  good  as  when  it  used  to  be  the 
envy  of  the  field-cornet's  neighbors,  the  boors  of 
Graaf  Reiriet.  Nothing  was  broken.  Everything 
was  in  its  place, —  "  voor-kist,77  and  "  achter-kist," 
and  side-chests.  There  was  the  snow-white  cap,  with 
its  "fore-clap77  and  "after-clap,77  and  its  inside 
pockets,  all  complete  ;  and  the  wheels  neatly  carved, 
and  the  well-planed  boxing  and  "  disselboom,77  and 
the  strong  "trektow77  of  buffalo-hide.  Nothing 
was  wanting  that  ought  to  be  found  about  a  wagon. 
It  was,  in  fact,  the  best  part  of  the  field-cornet's 


42 

property  that  remained  to  him, —  for  it  was  equal  in 
value  to  all  the  oxen,  cattle,  and  sheep,  upon  his 
establishment. 

While  Swartboy,  assisted  by  Hendrik,  was  catch- 
ing up  the  twelve  yoke-oxen,  and  attaching  them  to 
the  disselboom  and  trektow  of  the  wagon,  the  "  baas  " 
himself,  aided  by  Hans,  Totty,  and  also  by  Triiey 
and  little  Jan,  was  loading  up  the  furniture  and 
implements.  This  was  not  a  difficult  task.  The 
Penates  of  the  little  kraal  were  not  numerous,  and 
were  all  soon  packed  either  inside  or  around  the 
roomy  vehicle. 

In  about  an  hour's  time  the  wagon  was  loaded  up, 
the  oxen  were  inspanned,  the  horses  saddled,  and 
everything  was  ready  for  "  trekking.77 

And  now  arose  the  question,  whither  ? 

Up  to  this  time  Von  Bloom  had  only  thought  of 
getting  away  from  the  spot  —  of  escaping  beyond  the 
naked  waste  that  surrounded  him. 

It  now  became  necessary  to  determine  the  direc- 
tion in  which  they  were  to  travel  —  a  most  important 
consideration. 

Important,  indeed,  as  a  little  reflection  showed. 
They  might  go  in  the  direction  in  which  the  locusts 
had  gone,  or  that  in  which  they  had  come  !  On  either 
route  they  might  travel  for  scores  of  miles  without 
meeting  with  a  mouthful  of  grass  for  the  hungry 
animals  ;  and  in  such  a  case  these  would  break  down 
and  perish. 

Or  the  travellers  might  move  in  some  other  direc- 
tion, and  find  grass,  but  not  water.  Without 
water,  not  only  would  they  have  to  fear  for  the  cat- 


"IXSPANN   AND   TREK'."  43 

tie,  but  for  themselves  —  for  their  own  lives.  How 
important  then  it  was,  which  way  they  turned  their 
faces  I 

At  first  the  field-cornet  bethought  him  of  heading 
towards  the  settlements.  The  nearest  water  in  that 
direction  was  almost  fifty  miles  off.  It  lay  to  the 
eastward  of  the  kraal.  The  locusts  had  just  gone 
that  way.  They  would  by  this  time  have  laid  waste 
the  whole  country  —  perhaps  to  the  water  or  beyond 
it! 

It  would  be  a  great  risk  going  in  that  direction. 

Northward  lay  the  Kalihari  desert.  It  would  be 
hopeless  to  steer  north.  Von  Bloom  knew  of  no 
oasis  in  the  desert.  Besides,  the  locusts  had  come 
from  the  north.  They  were  drifting  southward 
when  first  seen  ;  and,  from  the  time  they  had  been 
observed  passing  in  this  last  direction,  they  had 
no  doubt  ere  this  wasted  the  plains  far  to  the  south. 

The  thoughts  of  the  field-cornet  were  now  turned 
to  the  west.  It  is  true  the  swarm  had  last  approached 
from  the  west ;  but  Von  Bloom  fancied  that  they  had 
first  come  down  from  the  north,  and  that  the  sudden 
veering  round  of  the  wind  had  caused  them  to  change 
direction.  He  thought  that  by  trekking  westward 
he  would  soon  get  beyond  the  ground  they  had  laid 
bare. 

He  knew  something  of  the  plains  to  the  west  —  not 
much,  indeed,  but  he  knew  that  at  about  forty  miles 
distance  there  was  a  spring  with  good  pasturage 
around  it,  upon  whose  water  he  could  depend.  He 
had  once  visited  it,  while  on  a  search  for  some  of  his 
cattle,  that  had  wandered  thus  far.  Indeed,  it  then 


44 


appeared  to  him  a  better  situation  for  cattle  than  the 
one  he  held,  and  he  had  often  thought  of  moving  to  it. 
Its  great  distance  from  any  civilized  settlement  was 
the  reason  why  he  had  not  done  so.  Although  he 
was  already  far  beyond  the  frontier,  he  still  kept  up 
a  sort  of  communication  with  the  settlements,  whereas 
at  the  more  distant  point  such  a  communication  would 
be  extremely  difficult. 

Now  that  other  considerations  weighed  with  him, 
his  thoughts  once  more  returned  to  this  spring  ;  and 
after  spending  a  few  minutes  more  in  earnest  deliber- 
ation, he  decided  upon  "trekking"  westward. 

Swartboy  was  ordered  to  head  round,  and  strike 
to  the  west.  The  Bushman  promptly  leaped  to  his 
seat  upon  the  voor-kist,  cracked  his  mighty  whip, 
straightened  out  his  long  team,  and  moved  off  over 
the  plain. 

Hans  and  Hendrik  were  already  in  their  saddles  ; 
and  having  cleared  the  kraals  of  all  their  live  stock, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  dogs,  drove  the  lowing  and 
bleating  animals  before  them. 

Triiey  and  little  Jan  sat  beside  Swartboy  on  the 
fore-chest  of  the  wagon  ;  and  the  round  full  eyes  of 
the  pretty  springbok  could  be  seen  peeping  curiously 
out  from  under  the  cap-tent. 

Casting  a  last  look  upon  his  desolate  kraal,  the 
field-cornet  turned  his  horse's  head,  and  rode  after 
the  wagon. 


WATER!    WATER!"  45 


CHAPTER  VII. 


ON  moved  the  little  caravan,  but  not  in  silence. 
Swartboy's  voice  and  whip  made  an  almost  continual 
noise.  The  latter  could  be  plainly  heard  more  than 
a  mile  over  the  plain,  like  repeated  discharges  of  a 
musket.  Hendrik,  too,  did  a  good  deal  in  the  way 
of  shouting ;  and  even  the  usually  quiet  Hans  was 
under  the  necessity  of  using  his  voice  to  urge  the 
flock  forward  in  the  right  direction. 

Occasionally  both  the  boys  were  called  upon  to 
give  Swartboy  a  help  with  the  leading  oxen  when 
these  became  obstinate  or  restive,  and  would  turn 
out  of  the  track.  At  such  times  either  Hans  or 
Hendrik  would  gallop  up,  set  the  heads  of  the  ani- 
mals right  again,  and  ply  the  "  jamboks  "  upon  their 
sides. 

This  "jambok"  is  a  severe  chastener  to  an  obsti- 
nate ox.  It  is  an  elastic  whip  made  of  rhinoceros 
or  hippopotamus  skin, —  hippopotamus  is  the  best, — 
near  six  feet  long,  and  tapering  regularly  from  butt 
to  tip. 

Whenever  the  led  oxen  misbehaved,  and  Swart- 
boy  could  not  reach  them  with  his  long  "voorslag," 
Hendrik  was  ever  ready  to  tickle  them  with  his 
tough  jambok ;  and,  by  this  means,  frighten  them 


46  "WATER!    WATER!" 

into  good  behavior.  Indeed,  one  of  the  boys  was 
obliged  to  be  at  their  head  nearly  all  the  time. 

A  "leader"  is  used  to  accompany  most  teams  of 
oxen  in  South  Africa.  But  those  of  the  field-cornet 
had  been  accustomed  to  draw  the  wagon  without  one, 
ever  since  the  Hottentot  servants  ran  away ;  and 
Swartboy  had  driven  many  miles  with  no  other  help 
than  his  long  whip.  But  the  strange  look  of  every- 
thing, since  the  locusts  passed,  had  made  the  oxen 
shy  and  wild ;  besides,  the  insects  had  obliterated 
every  track  or  path  which  oxen  would  have  fol- 
lowed. The  whole  surface  was  alike, —  there  was 
neither  trace  nor  mark.  Even  Yon  Bloom  himself 
could  with  difficulty  recognize  the  features  of  the 
country,  and  had  to  guide  himself  by  the  sun  in  the 
sky. 

Hendrik  stayed  mostly  by  the  head  of  the  lead- 
ing oxen.  Hans  had  no  difficulty  in  driving  the 
flock  when  once  fairly  started.  A  sense  of  fear 
kept  all  together,  and  as  there  was  no  herbage  upon 
any  side  to  tempt  them  to  stray,  they  moved  regu- 
larly on. 

Von  Bloom  rode  in  front  to  guide  the  caravan. 
Neither  he  nor  any  of  them  had  made  any  change  in 
their  costume,  but  travelled  in  their  every-day  dress. 
The  field-cornet  himself  was  habited  after  the  manner 
of  most  boors, — in  wide  leathern  trousers,  termed  in 
that  country  "crackers  ;"  a  large  roomy  jacket  of 
green  cloth,  with  ample  outside  pockets  ;  a  fawn-skin 
waistcoat ;  a  huge  white  felt  hat,  with  the  broadest 
of  brims  ;  and  upon  his  feet  a  pair  of  brogans  of  Afri- 
can unstained  leather,  known  among  the  boors  as 


41 

"  feldt-schoenen  "  (country  shoes).  Over  his  saddle 
lay  a  "  kaross,"  or  robe  of  leopard-skins  ;  and  upon 
his  shoulder  he  carried  his  "  roer," — a  large 
smooth-bore  gun,  about  six  feet  in  length,  with  an 
old-fashioned  flint-lock, —  quite  a  load  of  itself.  This 
is  the  gun  in  which  the  boor  puts  all  his  trust ;  and 
although  an  American  backwoodsman  would  at  first 
sight  be  disposed  to  laugh  at  such  a  weapon,  a  little 
knowledge  of  the  boor's  country  would  change  his 
opinion  of  the  "roer."  His  own  weapon  —  the 
small-bore  rifle,  with  a  bullet  less  than  a  pea  —  would 
be  almost  useless  among  the  large  game  that  inhab- 
its the  country  of  the  boor.  Upon  the  "  karoos  "  of 
Africa  there  are  crack  shots  and  sterling  hunters,  as 
well  as  in  the  backwoods  or  on  the  prairies  of 
America. 

Curving  round  under  the  field-cornet's  left  arm, 
and  resting  against  his  side,  was  an  immense  pow- 
der-horn —  of  such  size  as  could  only  be  produced 
upon  the  head  of  an  African  ox.  It  was  from  the 
country  of  the  Bechuanas,  though  nearly  all  Cape 
oxen  grow  horns  of  vast  dimensions.  Of  course  it 
was  used  to  carry  the  field-cornet's  powder,  and,  if 
full,  it  must  have  contained  half  a  dozen  pounds,  at 
least.  A  leopard-skin  pouch  hanging  under  his  right 
arm,  a  hunting-knife  stuck  in  his  waist-belt,  and  a 
large  meerschaum  pipe  through  the  band  of  his 
hat,  completed  the  equipments  of  the  trek-boor,  Yon 
Bloom. 

Hans  and  Hendrik  were  very  similarly  attired, 
armed,  and  equipped.  Of  course  their  trousers  were 
of  dressed  sheep-skin,  wide, —  like  the  trousers  of  all 


48  "  WATER  !    WATER  !  " 

young  boors, —  and  they  also  wore  jackets  and  "  feldt- 
schoenen,"  and  broad-brimmed  white  hats.  Hans 
carried  a  light  fowling-piece,  while  »Hendrik's  gun 
was  a  stout  rifle  of  the  kind  known  as  a  "yager7' — 
an  excellent  gun  for  large  game.  In  this  piece 
Hendrik  had  great  pride,  and  had  learnt  to  drive  a 
nail  with  it  at  nearly  a  hundred  paces.  Hendrik  was 
par  excellence  the  marksman  of  the  party.  Each  of 
the  boys  also  carried  a  large  crescent-shaped  powder- 
horn,  with  a  pouch  for  bullets ;  and  over  the  saddle 
of  each  was  strapped  the  robe  or  kaross,  differing 
only  from  their  father's  in  that  his  was  of  the  rarer 
leopard-skin,  while  theirs  were  a  commoner  sort,  one 
of  antelope,  and  the  other  of  jackal-skin.  Little  Jan 
also  wore  wide  trousers,  jacket,  "  feldt-shoenen," 
and  broad-brimmed  beaver  ;  in  fact,  Jan,  although 
scarce  a  yard  high,  was,  in  point  of  costume,  a  type  of 
his  father, —  a  diminutive  type  of  the  boor.  Triiey  was 
habited  in  a  skirt  of  blue  woollen  stuff,  with  a  neat 
bodice  elaborately  stitched  and  embroidered  after 
the  Dutch  fashion,  and  over  her  fair  locks  she  wore 
a  light  sun-hat  of  straw  with  a  ribbon  and  strings. 
Totty  was  very  plainly  attired  in  strong  homespun, 
without  any  head-dress.  As  for  Swartboy,  a  pair  of 
old  leathern  "  crackers  "  and  a  striped  shirt  were  all 
the  clothing  he  carried,  beside  his  sheep-skin  kaross. 
Such  were  the  costumes  of  our  travellers. 

For  full  twenty  miles  the  plain  was  wasted  bare. 
Not  a  bite  could  the  beasts  obtain,  and  water  there 
was  none.  The  sun  during  the  day  shone  brightly, 
—  too  brightly,  for  his  beams  were  as  hot  as  within 
the  tropics.  The  travellers  could  scarce  have  borne 


49 

them  had  it  not  been  that  a  stiff  breeze  was  blowing 
all  day  long.  But  this  unfortunately  blew  directly 
in  their  faces,  and  the  dry  karoos  are  never  without 
dust.  The  constant  hopping  of  the  locusts  with  their 
millions  of  tiny  feet  had  loosened  the  crust  of  earth  ; 
and  now  the  dust  rose  freely  upon  the  wind.  Clouds 
of  it  enveloped  the  little  caravan,  and  rendered  their 
forward  movement  both  difficult  and  disagreeable. 
Long  before  night  their  clothes  were  covered,  their 
mouths  filled,  and  their  eyes  sore. 

But  all  that  was  nothing.  Long  before  night  a  far 
greater  grievance  was  felt, —  the  want  of  water. 

In  their  hurry  to  escape  from  the  desolate  scene  at 
the  kraal,  Von  Bloom  had  not  thought  of  bringing  a 
supply  in  the  wagon  —  a  sad  oversight  in  a  country 
like  South  Africa,  where  springs  are  so  rare,  and  run- 
ning streams  so  uncertain.  A  sad  oversight  indeed, 
as  they  now  learnt ;  for  long  before  night  they  were 
all  crying  out  for  water,  all  were  equally  suffering 
from  the  pangs  of  thirst. 

Von  Bloom  thirsted,  but  he  did  not  think  of  him- 
self, except  that  he  suffered  from  self-accusation. 
He  blamed  himself  for  neglecting  to  bring  a  needful 
supply  of  water.  He  was  the  cause  of  the  sufferings 
of  all  the  rest.  He  felt  sad  and  humbled  on  account 
of  his  thoughtless  negligence. 

He  could  promise  them  no  relief —  at  least,  none 
until  they  should  reach  the  spring.  He  knew  of  no 
water  nearer. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  reach  the  spring  that 
night.  It  was  late  when  they  started.  Oxen  travel 
4 


50  "WATER!  WATER!  " 

slowly.  Half  the  distance  would  be  as  much  as  they 
could  make  by  sundown. 

To  reach  the  water  they  would  have  to  travel  all 
night ;  but  they  could  not  do  that,  for  many  reasons. 
The  oxen  would  require  to  rest  —  the  more  so  that 
they  were  hungered  ;  and  now  Von  Bloom  thought, 
when  too  late,  of  another  neglect  he  had  committed 
—  that  was,  in  not  collecting,  during  the  flight  of  the 
locusts,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  them  to  have  given 
his  cattle  a  feed. 

This  plan  is  often  adopted  under  similar  circum- 
stances ;  but  the  field-cornet  had  not  thought  of  it ; 
and  as  but  few  locusts  fell  in  the  kraals  where  the 
animals  had  been  confined,  they  had  therefore  been 
without  food  since  the  previous  day.  The  oxen,  in 
particular,  showed  symptoms  of  weakness,  and  drew 
the  wagon  sluggishly ;  so  that  Swartboy's  voice  and 
long  whip  were  kept  in  constant  action. 

But  there  were  other  reasons  why.  they  would 
have  to  halt  when  night  came  on.  The  field-cornet 
was  not  so  sure  of  the  direction.  He  would  not  be 
able  to  follow  it  by  night,  as  there  was  not  the 
semblance  of  a  track  to  guide  him.  Besides,  it 
would  be  dangerous  to  travel  by  night,  for  then  the 
nocturnal  robber  of  Africa  —  the  fierce  lion — is 
abroad. 

They  would  be  under  the  necessity,  therefore,  of 
halting  for  the  night,  water  or  no  water. 

It  wanted  yet  half  an  hour  of  sundown  when  Yon 
Bloom  had  arrived  at  this  decision.  He  only  kept 
on  a  little  further,  in  hopes  of  reaching  a  spot  where 
there  was  grass.  They  were  now  more  than  twenty 


"  WATER  !    WATER  !  "  51 

miles  from  their  starting-point,  and  still  the  black 
"  spoor "  of  the  locusts  covered  the  plain.  Still  no 
grass  to  be  seen ;  still  the  bushes  bare  of  their  leaves, 
and  barked  1 

The  field-cornet  began  to  think  that  he  was  trekking 
right  in  the  way  the  locusts  had  come.  Westward 
he  was  heading,  for  certain  ;  he  knew  that.  But  he 
was  not  yet  certain  that  the  flight  had  not  advanced 
from  the  west,  instead  of  the  north.  If  so,  they 
might  go  for  days  before  coming  upon  a  patch  of 
grass. 

These  thoughts  troubled  him,  and  with  anxious 
eyes  he  swept  the  plain  in  front,  as  well  as-  to  the 
right  and  left. 

A  shout  from  the  keen-eyed  Bushman  produced  a 
joyful  effect.  He  saw  grass  in  front.  He  saw  some 
bushes  with  leaves.  They  were  still  a  mile  off,  but 
the  oxen,  as  if  the  announcement  had  been  under- 
stood by  them,  moved  more  briskly  forward. 

Another  mile  passed  over,  and  they  came  upon 
grass,  sure  enough.  It  was  a  very  scanty  pasture, 
though, —  a  few  scattered  blades  growing  over  the 
reddish  surface,  but  in  no  place  a  mouthful  for  an  ox. 
There  was  just  enough  to  tantalize  the  poor  brutes, 
without  filling  their  stomachs.  It  assured  Von  Bloom, 
however,  that  they  had  now  got  beyond  the  track  of 
the  locusts  ;  and  he  kept  on  a  little  further,  in  hopes 
that  the  pasture  might  get  better. 

It  did  not,  however.  The  country  through  which 
they  advanced  was  a  wild,  sterile  plain,  almost  as 
destitute  of  vegetation  as  that  over  which  they  had 
hitherto  been  travelling.  It  no  longer  owed  its 


52 


nakedness  to  the  locusts,  but  to  the  absence  of 
water. 

They  had  no  more  time  to  search  for  pasture.  The 
sun  was  already  below  the  horizon  when  they  halted 
to  "  outspann." 

A  "kraal'7  should  have  been  built  for  the  cattle, 
and  another  for  the  sheep  and  goats.  There  were 
bushes  enough  to  have  constructed  them,  but  who 
of  that  tired  party  had  the  heart  to  cut  them  down 
and  drag  them  to  the  spot  ? 

It  was  labor  enough  —  the  slaughtering  a  sheep 
for  supper,  and  collecting  sufficient  wood  to  cook  it. 
No  kraal  was  made.  The  horses  were  tied  around 
the  wagon.  The  oxen,  cattle,  and  sheep  and  goats, 
were  left  free  to  go  where  they  pleased.  As  there 
was  no  pasture  near  to  tempt  them,  it  was  hoped  that, 
after  the  fatigue  of  their  long  journey,  they  would  not 
stray  far  from  the  camp-fire,  which  was  kept  burning 
throughout  the  night. 


THE    FATE    OF   THE    HERD.  53 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    FATE    OF   THE    HERD. 

BUT  they  did  stray. 

When  day  broke,  and  the  travellers  looked  around 
them,  not  a  head  of  the  oxen  or  cattle  was  to  be  seen. 
Yes,  there  was  one,  and  one  only  —  the  milch-cow. 
Totty,  after  milking  her  on  the  previous  night,  had 
left  her  tied  to  a  bush,  where  she  still  remained. 
All  the  rest  were  gone,  and  the  sheep  and  goats  as 
well. 

Whither  had  they  strayed  ? 

The  horses  were  mounted,  and  search  was  made. 
The  sheep  and  goats  were  found  among  some  bushes 
not  far  off;  but  it  soon  appeared  that  the  other 
animals  had  gone  clean  away. 

Their  spoor  was  traced  for  a  mile  or  two.  It  led 
back  on  the  very  track  they  had  come  ;  and  no  doubt 
any  longer  existed  that  they  had  returned  to  the 
kraal. 

To  overtake  them  before  reaching  that  point, 
would  be  difficult,  if  at  all  possible.  Their  tracks 
showed  that  they  had  gone  off  early  in  the  night, 
and  had  travelled  at  a  rapid  rate  —  so  that  by  this 
time  they  had  most  likely  arrived  at  their  old  home. 

This  was  a  sad  discovery.  To  have  followed 
them  on  the  thirsting  and  hungry  horses  would 


54  THE    FATE    OF   THE    HERD. 

have  been  a  useless  work ;  yet  without  the  yoke- 
oxen  how  was  the  wagon  to  be  taken  forward  to  the 
spring  ? 

It  appeared  to  be  a  sad  dilemma  they  were  in  ;  but 
after  a  short  consultation  the  thoughtful  Hans  sug- 
gested a  solution  of  it. 

"  Can  we  not  attach  the  horses  to  the  wagon?" 
inquired  he.  "  The  five  could  surely  draw  it  on  to 
the  spring." 

"  What !  and  leave  the  cattle  behind  ?  "  said  Hen- 
drik.  "  If  we  do  not  go  after  them,  they  will  be  all 
lost,  and  then  — 

."  We  could  go  for  them  afterwards,"  replied  Hans ; 
"  but  is  it  not  better  first  to  push  forward  to  the 
spring,  a"nd,  after  resting  the  horses  a  while,  return 
then  for  the  oxen  ?  They  will  have  reached  the 
kraal  by  this  time.  There  they  will  be  sure  of  water, 
anyhow,  and  that  will  keep  them  alive  till  we  get 
there." 

The  course  suggested  by  Hans  seemed  feasible 
enough.  At  all  events,  it  was  the  best  plan  they 
could  pursue  ;  so  they  at  once  set  about  putting  it  in 
execution.  The  horses  were  attached  to  the  wagon 
in  the  best  way  they  could  think  of.  Fortunately 
some  old  horse-harness  formed  part  of  the  contents 
of  the  vehicle,  and  these  were  brought  out  and  fitted 
on,  as  well  as  could  be  done. 

Two  horses  were  made  fast  to  the  disselboom  as 
"wheelers;"  two  others  to  the  trektow  cut  to  the 
proper  length  ;  and  the  fifth  horse  was  placed  in  front 
as  a  leader. 

When  all  was  ready,  Swartboy  again  mounted  the 


THE   FATE    OF   THE    HERD.  55 

voor-kist,  gathered  up  his  reins,  cracked  his  whip, 
and  set  his  team  in  motion.  To  the  delight  of  every 
one,  the  huge  heavy-laden  wagon  moved  off  as  freely 
as  if  a  full  team  had  been  inspanned. 

Von  Bloom,  Hendrik,  and  Hans,  cheered  as  it 
passed  them,  and,  setting  the  milch-cow  and  the 
flock  of  sheep  and  goats  in  motion,  moved  briskly 
after.  Little  Jan  and  Triiey  still  rode  in  the  wagon  ; 
but  the  others  now  travelled  a-foot,  partly  because 
they  had  the  flock  to  drive,  and  partly  that  they  might 
not  increase  the  load  upon  the  horses. 

They  all  suffered  greatly  from  thirst,  but  they 
would  have  suffered  still  more  had  it  not  been  for 
that  valuable  creature  that  trotted  along  behind  the 
wagon  —  the  cow — '.'  old  Graaf,"  as  she  was  called. 
She  had  yielded  several  pints  of  milk,  both  the  night 
before  and  that  morning  ;  and  this  well-timed  supply 
had  given  considerable  relief  to  the  travellers. 

The  horses  behaved  beautifully.  Notwithstanding 
that  their  harness  was  both  incomplete  and  ill  fitted, 
they  pulled  the  wagon  along  after  them  as  if  not  a 
strap  or  buckle  had  been  wanting.  They  appeared 
to  know  that  their  kind  master  was  in  a  dilemma, 
and  were  determined  to  draw  him  out  of  it.  Perhaps, 
too,  they  smelt  the  spring-water  before  them.  At  all 
events,  before  they  had  been  many  hours  in  harness, 
they  were  drawing  the  wagon  through  a  pretty  little 
valley  covered  with  green,  meadow-looking  sward ; 
and  in  five  minutes  more  were  standing  halted  near 
a  cool  crystal  spring. 

In  a  short  time  all  had  drunk  heartily,  and  were 
refreshed.  The  horses  were  turned  out  upon  the 


56  THE    FATE    OF    THE    HERD. 

grass,  and  the  other  animals  browsed  over  the 
meadow.  A  good  fire  was  made  near  the  spring,  and 
a  quarter  of  mutton  cooked, —  upon  which  the  travel- 
lers dined,  and  then  all  sat  waiting  for  the  horses 
to  fill  themselves. 

The  field-cornet,  seated  upon  one  of  the  wagon- 
chests,  smoked  his  great  pipe.  He  could  have  been 
contented,  but  for  one  thing  —  the  absence  of  his 
cattle. 

He  had  arrived  at  a  beautiful  pasture-ground  —  a 
sort  of  oasis  in  the  wild  plains,  where  there  were 
wood,  water,  and  grass, —  everything  that  the  heart 
of  a  "  vee-boor"  could  desire.  It  did  not  appear  to 
be  a  large  tract,  but  enough  to  have  sustained  many 
hundred  head  of  cattle  —  enough  for  a  very  fine 
"  stock  farm."  It  would  have  answered  his  purpose 
admirably ;  and  had  he  succeeded  in  bringing  on  his 
oxen  and  cattle,  he  would  at  that  moment  have  felt 
happy  enough.  But  without  them  what  availed  the 
fine  pasturage  ?  What  could  he  do  there  without 
them  to  stock  it  ?  They  were  his  wealth  —  at  least, 
he  had  hoped  in  time  that  their  increase  would  be- 
come wealth.  They  were  all  of  excellent  breeds  ; 
and,  with  the  exception  of  his  twelve  yoke-oxen,  and 
one  or  two  long-horned  Bechuana  bulls,  all  the  others 
were  fine  young  cows,  calculated  soon  to  produce  a 
large  herd. 

Of  course  his  anxiety  about  these  animals  rendered 
it  impossible  for  him  to  enjoy  a  moment's  peace  of 
mind,  until  he  should  start  back  in  search  of  them. 
He  had  only  taken  out  his  pipe  to  pass  the  time, 
while  the  horses  were  gathering  a  bite  of  grass.  As 


THE    FATE    OF   THE    HERD.  57 

soon  as  their  strength  should  be  recruited  a  little,  it 
was  his  design  to  take  three  of  the  strongest  of  them, 
and  with  Hendrik  and  Swartboy  ride  back  to  the  old 
kraal. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  horses  were  ready  for 
the  road  again,  they  were  caught  and  saddled  up ; 
and  Von  Bloom,  Hendrik,  and  Swartboy,  mounted 
and  set  out,  while  Hans  remained  in  charge  of  the 
camp. 

They  rode  at  a  brisk  rate,  determined  to  travel  all 
night,  and,  if  possible,  reach  the  kraal  before  morn- 
ing. At  the  last  point  on  the  route  where  there  was 
grass,  they  off-saddled,  and  allowed  their  l^orses  to 
rest  and  refresh  themselves.  They  had  brought  with 
them  some  slices  of  the  roast  mutton,  and  this  time 
they  had  not  forgotten  to  fill  their  gourd-canteens 
with  water,  so  that  they  should  not  again  suffer 
from  thirst.  After  an  hour's  halt  they  continued 
their  journey. 

It  was  quite  night  when  they  arrived  at  the  spot 
where  the  oxen  had  deserted  them  ;  but  a  clear  moon 
was  in  the  sky,  and  they  were  able  to  follow  back 
the  wheel-tracks  of  the  wagon,  that  were  quite  con- 
spicuous under  the  moonlight.  Now  and  then,  to  be 
satisfied,  Von  Bloom  requested  Swartboy  to  examine 
the  spoor,  and  see  whether  the  cattle  had  still  kept 
the  back-track.  To  answer  this  gave  no  great 
trouble  to  the  Bushman.  He  would  drop  from  his 
horse,  and,  bending  over  the  ground,  would  reply  in 
an  instant.  In  every  case  the  answer  was  in  the 
affirmative.  The  animals  had  certainly  gone  back  to 
their  old  home. 


58  THE    FATE    OF   THE   HERD. 

Von  Bloom  believed  they  would  be  sure  to  find 
them  there  —  but  should  they  find  them  alive  f  That 
was  the  question  that  rendered  him  anxious. 

The  creatures  could  obtain  water  by  the  spring, 
but  food  —  where  ?  Not  a  bite  would  they  find  any- 
where, and  would  not  hunger  have  destroyed  them 
all  before  this  ? 

Day  was  breaking  when  they  came  in  sight  of  the 
old  homestead.  It  presented  a  very  odd  appearance. 
Not  one  of  the  three  would  have  recognized  it. 
After  the  invasion  of  the  locusts  it  showed  a  very 
altered  look,  but  now  there  was  something  else  that 
added  to  the  singularity  of  its  appearance.  A  row 
of  strange  objects  seemed  to  be  placed  upon  the  roof 
ridge,  and  along  the  walls  of  the  kraals.  What  were 
these  strange  objects,  for  they  certainly  did  not 
belong  to  the  buildings  ?  This  question  was  put  by 
Von  Bloom,  partly  to  himself,  but  loud  enough  for 
the  others  to  hear  him. 

"  Da  vogek  !  "  (the  vultures),  replied  Swartboy. 
^Sure   enough,  it  was   a  string   of  vultures   that 
appeared  along  the  walls. 

The  sight  of  these  filthy  birds  was  more  than 
ominous.  It  filled  Von  Bloom  with  apprehension. 
What  could  they  be  doing  there  ?  There  must  be 
carrion  near  ? 

The  party  rode  forward.  The  day  was  now  up, 
and  the  vultures  had  grown  busy.  They  flapped 
their  shadowy  wings,  rose  from  the  walls,  and 
alighted  at  different  points  around  the  house. 

"  Surely  there  must  be  carrion/ '  muttered  Von 
Bloom. 


THE    FATE    OF   THE    HERD.  59 

There  was  carrion,  and  plenty  of  it.  As  the  horse- 
men drew  near  the  vultures  rose  into  the  air,  and  a 
score  of  half-devoured  carcasses  could  be  seen  upon 
the  ground.  The  long  curving  horns  that  appeared 
beside  each  carcass  rendered  it  easy  to  tell  to  what 
sort  of  animals  they  belonged.  In  the  torn  and 
mutilated  fragments  Von  Bloom  recognized  the  re- 
mains of  his  lost  herd  ! 

Not  one  was  left  alive.  There  could  be  seen  the 
remains  of  all  of  them,  both  cows  and  oxen,  lying 
near  the  enclosures  and  on  the  adjacent  plain  —  each 
where  it  had  fallen. 

But  how  had  they  fallen  ?     That  was  the  mystery. 

Surely  they  could  not  have  perished  of  hunger, 
and  so  suddenly !  They  could  not  have  died  of 
thirst,  for  there  was  the  spring  bubbling  up  just 
beside  where  they  lay  !•  The  vultures  had  not  killed 
them  1  What  then  ? 

Von  Bloom  did  not  ask  many  questions.  He  was 
not  left  long  in  doubt.  As  he  and  his  companions 
rode  over  the  ground,  the  mystery  was  explained. 
The  tracks  of  lions,  hyenas,  and  jackals,  made 
everything  clear  enough.  A  large  troop  of  these 
animals  had  been  upon  the  ground.  The  scarcity  of 
e,  caused  by  the  migration  of  the  locusts,  had 
no  doubt  rendered  them  more  than  usually  ravenous, 
and  in  consequence  the  cattle  became  their  prey. 

Where  were  they  now  ?  The  morning  light,  and 
the  sight  of  the  house,  perhaps,  had  driven  them  off. 
But  their  spoor  was  quite  fresh.  They  were  near  at 
hand,  and  would  be  certain  to  return  again  upon  the 
following  night. 


CVll  111 

gam 

•nn   r\ 


60  THE    FATE    OF   THE   HERD. 

Von  Bloom  felt  a  strong  desire  to  be  revenged 
upon  the  hideous  brutes ;  and,  under  other  circum- 
stances, would  have  remained  to  get  a  shot  at  them. 
But  just  then  that  would  have  been  both  imprudent 
and  unprofitable  work.  It  would  be  as  much  as 
their  horses  could  accomplish  to  get  back  to  camp 
that  night ;  so,  without  even  entering  the  old  house, 
they  watered  their  animals,  refilled  their  calabashes 
at  the  spring,  and  with  heavy  hearts  once  more  rode 
away  from  the  kraal. 


A    LION    COUCHANT.  61 


CHAPTER    IX. 

A   LION   COUCHANT. 

THEY  had  not  proceeded  a  hundred  steps  when  an 
object  appeared  before  them  that  caused  all  three 
to  draw  bridle  suddenly  and  simultaneously.  That 
object  was  a  lion  ! 

He  was  couched  upon  the  plain  directly  in  the 
path  they  intended  to  take  —  the  very  same  path  by 
which  they  had  come. 

How  was  it  they  had  not  seen  him  before  ?  He 
was  under  the  lee  of  a  low  bush  ;  but,  thanks  to  the 
locusts,  this  bush  was  leafless,  and  its  thin  naked 
twigs  formed  no  concealment  for  so  large  a  creature 
as  a  lion.  His  tawny  hide  shone  conspicuously 
through  them. 

The  truth  is,  he  had  not  been  there  when  the 
horsemen  passed  towards  the  kraal.  He  had  just 
fled  from  among  the  carcasses,  on  seeing  them 
approach  ;  and  had  skulked  around  the  walls,  and 
then  run  to  their  rear.  He  had  executed  this  man- 
oeuvre to  avoid  an  encounter  —  for  a  lion  reasons  as 
a  man  does,  though  not  to  the  same  extent.  Seeing 
the  horsemen  come  that  way,  his  reasoning  powers 
were  strong  enough  to  tell  him  that  they  were  not 
likely  to  return  by  the  same  path.  It  was  more  nat- 
ural they  should  continue  on.  A  man,  ignorant  of 


62  A    LION    COUCHANT. 

all  the  preceding  events  connected  with  their  jour- 
ney, would  have  reasoned  much  in  the  same  way. 
If  you  have  been  at  all  observant,  you  have  seen 
other  animals  —  such  as  dogs,  deer,  hares,  or  even 
birds  —  act  just  as  the  lion  did  on  this  occasion. 

Beyond  a  doubt,  the  intellectual  process  described 
passed  through  the  mind  of  this  lion  ;  and  he  had 
skulked  round  to  shun  an  encounter  with  the  three 
travellers. 

Now,  a  lion  will  not  always  act  so  —  though  he 
will  in  five  cases  out  of  six,  or  oftener.  Hence  very 
erroneous  views  are  held  in  relation  to  the  courage 
of  this  animal.  Some  naturalists,  led  away  by  what 
appears  to  be  a  feeling  of  envy  or  anger,  accuse  the 
lion  of  downright  cowardice,  denying  him  a  single 
noble  quality  of  all  those  that  have  from  earliest 
times  been  ascribed  to  him.  Others,  on  the  con- 
trary, assert  that  he  knows  no  fear,  either  of  man  or 
beast ;  and  these  endow  kim  with  many  virtues 
besides  courage.  Both  parties  back  up  their  views, 
not  by  mere  assertions,  but  by  an  ample  narration 
of  well-attested  facts. 

How  is  this  ?  There  is  a  dilemma  here.  Both 
cannot  be  right  in  their  opinions  ?  And  yet,  odd  as 
it  may  appear  to  say  so,  both  are  right  in  a  certain 
sense. 

The  fact  is,  some  lions  are  cowardly,  while  others 
are  brave. 

The  truth  of  this  might  be  shown  by  whole  pages 
of  facts,  but  in  this  little  volume  we  have  no  room. 
I  think,  however,  boy-reader,  I  can  satisfy  you  with 
an  analogy. 


A    LION    COUCHANT.  63 

Answer  me  —  Do  you  know  any  species  of  animal 
the  individuals  of  which  are  exactly  alike  in  charac- 
ter ?  Think  over  the  dogs  of  your  acquaintance. 
Are  they  alike,  or  anything  near  it  ?  Are  not  some 
of  them  noble,  generous,  faithful,  brave  to  the  death  ? 
Are  not  others  mean,  sneaking,  cowardly  curs  ?  So 
is  it  with  lions. 

Now  you  are  satisfied  that  my  statement  about 
the  lions  may  be  true. 

There  are  many  causes  to  affect  the  courage  and 
ferocity  of  the  lion.  His  age  —  the  state  of  his 
stomach  —  the  season  of  the  year  —  the  hour  of  the 
day  —  but,  above  all,  the  sort  of  hunters  that  belong  to 
the  district  he  inhabits. 

This  last  fact  appears  quite  natural  to  those  who 
believe  in  the  intellect  of  animals,  which  of  course  / 
do.  It  is  perfectly  natural  that  the  lion,  as  well  as 
other  animals,  should  soon  learn  the  character  of  his 
enemy,  and  fear  him  or  not,  as  the  case  may  be.  Is 
this  not  an  old  story  with  us  ?  If  I  remember  aright, 
we  had  a  talk  upon  this  subject  when  speaking  of 
the  crocodiles  of  America.  We  remarked  that  the 
alligator  of  the  Mississippi  rarely  attacks  man  in 
modern  times  ;  but  it  has  not  always  been  so.  The 
rifle  of  the  alligator-leather  hunter  has  tamed  its 
ferocity.  The  very  same  species  in  South  America 
eats  Indians  by  scores  every  year  ;  and  the  crocodile 
of  Africa  is  dreaded  in  some  parts  even  more  than 
the  lion. 

It  is  asserted  that  the  lions  of  the  Cape  are  more 
cowardly  in  some  districts  than  in  others.  They  are 
less  brave  in  those  districts  where  they  l^ve  been 


64  A    LION    COUCH  ANT. 

"jaged"  by  the  courageous  and  stalwart  boor  with 
his  long  loud-cracking  "  roer." 

Beyond  the  frontier,  where  they  have  no  enemy 
but  the  tiny  arrow  of  the  Bushman  (who  does  not 
desire  to  kill  them)  and  the  slender  "asegai"  of  the 
Bechuana,  the  lion  has  little  or  no  fear  of  man. 

Whether  the  one  before  the  eyes  of  our  party  was 
naturally  a  brave  one,  could  not  yet  be  told.  He 
was  one  with  a  huge  black  mane,  or  "  schwart-fore 
life/7  as  the  boors  term  it ;  and  these  are  esteemed 
the  fiercest  and  most  dangerous.  The  "  yellow- 
maned"  —  for  there  is  considerable  variety  in  the 
color  of  the  Cape  lions  —  is  regarded  as  possessing 
less  courage  ;  but  there  is  some  doubt  about  the 
truth  of  this.  The  young  "  black-manes  "  may  often 
be  mistaken  for  the  true  yellow  variety,  and  their 
character  ascribed  to  him  to  his  prejudice, —  for  the 
swarthy  color  of  the  mane  only  comes  after  the  lion 
is  many  years  of  age. 

Whether  the  "  schwart-fore  life  "  was  a  fierce  and 
brave  one,  Von  Bloom  did  not  stay  to  think  about. 
It  was  evident  that  the  edge  had  been  taken  off  the 
animal's  appetite.  It  was  evident  he  did  not  medi- 
tate an  attack  ;  and  that,  had  the  horsemen  chosen  to 
make  a  detour,  and  ride  peacefully  away,  they  might 
have  continued  their  journey  without  ever  seeing  or 
hearing  of  him  again. 

But  the  field-cornet  had  no  such  intention.  He 
had  lost  his  precious  oxen  and  cattle.  That  lion  had 
pulled  down  some  of  them,  at  least.  The  Dutch 
blood  was  up,  and  if  the  beast  had  been  the  strongest 


A    LION    COUCHANT.  65 

and  fiercest  of  his  tribe,  he  was  bound  to  be  brought 
out  of  that  bush. 

Ordering  the  others  to  remain  where  they  were, 
Von  Bloom  advanced  on  horseback  until  within  about 
fifty  paces  of  where  the  lion  lay.  Here  he  drew  up, 
coolly  dismounted,  passed  the  bridle  over  his  arm, 
stuck  his  loading-rod  into  the  ground,  and  knelt 
down  behind  it. 

You  will  fancy  he  would  have  been  safer  to  have 
kept  his  saddle,  as  the  lion  cannot  overtake  a  horse. 
True  ;  but  the  lion  would  have  been  safer  too.  It  is 
no  easy  matter  to  fire  correctly  from  any  horse  ;  but 
when  the  mark  happens  to  be  a  grim  lion,  he. is  a 
well-trained  steed  that  will  stand  sufficiently  firm  to 
admit  of  a  true  aim.  A  shot  from  the  saddle  under 
such  circumstances  is  a  mere  chance  shot ;  and  the 
field-cornet  was  not  in  the  mood  to  be  satisfied  with 
a  chance  shot.  Laying  his  roer  athwart  the  loading- 
rod,  and  holding  the  long  barrel  steady  against  it, 
he  took  deliberate  aim  through  the  ivory  sights. 

During  all  this  time  the  lion  had  not  stirred.  The 
bush  was  between  him  and  the  hunter ;  but  he  could 
hardly  have  believed  that  it  sufficed  to  conceal  him. 
Far  from  it.  His  yellow  flanks  were  distinctly  visi- 
ble through  the  thorny  twigs,  and  his  head  could  be 
seen,  with  his  muzzle  and  whiskers  stained  red  with 
the  blood  of  the  oxen. 

No  —  he  did  not  believe  himself  hid.  A  slight 
growl,  with  one  or  two  shakes  of  his  tail,  proved  the 
contrary.  He  lay  still,  however,  as  lions  usually 
do,  until  more  nearly  approached.  The  hunter,  as 
already  stated,  was  full  fifty  yards  from  him. 
5 


66  A    LION    COUCHANT. 

Excepting  the  motion  of  his  tail,  he  made  no  other 
till  Von  Bloom  pulled  trigger ;  and  then  with  a 
scream  he  sprang  several  feet  into  the  air.  The 
hunter  had  been  afraid  of  the  twigs  causing  his  bul- 
let to  glance  off ;  but  it  was  plain  it  had  told  truly, 
for  lie  saw  the  fur  fly  from  the  side  of  the  lion  where 
it  struck  him. 

It  was  but  a  wound  ;  and  not  deadly,  as  soon 
appeared. 

With  long  bounds  the  angry  brute  came  on,  lash- 
ing his  tail,  and  showing  his  fearful  teeth.  His 
mane,  now  on  end,  seemed  to  have  doubled  his  size. 
He  looked  as  large  as  a  bull. 

In  a  few  seconds'  time  he  had  crossed  the  distance 
that  separated  him  from  the  hunter,  but  the  latter 
was  gone  far  from  that  spot.  The  moment  he  had 
delivered  his  fire,  he  leaped  upon  his  well-trained 
horse,  and  rode  off  towards  the  others. 

All  three  were  for  a  short  while  together  —  Hen- 
drik  holding  his  yager  cocked  and  ready,  while 
Swartboy  grasped  his  bow  and  arrows.  But  the 
lion  dashed  forward  before  either  could  fire  ;  and 
they  were  obliged  to  spur  and  gallop  out  of  his  way. 

Swartboy  had  ridden  to  one  side,  while  Von  Bloom 
and  Hendrik  took  the  other  ;  and  the  game  was  now 
between  the  two  parties  —  both  of  which  had  pulled 
up  at  some  distance  off. 

The  lion,  after  the  failure  of  his  charge,  halted, 
and  looked  first  at  one,  then  at  the  other,  as  if 
uncertain  which  to  pursue. 

His  appearance  at  this  moment  was  terrible  be- 
yond expression.  His  whole  fierce  nature  was  roused. 


A    LION    COUCHANT.  61 

His  mane  stood  erect ;  his  tail  lashed  his  flanks  ;  his 
mouth,  widely  open,  showed  the  firm-set  trenchant 
teeth,  their  white  spikes  contrasting  with  the  red 
blood  that  clotted  his  cheeks  and  snout,  while  his 
angry  roaring  added  horror  to  his  appearance. 

But  none  of  the  three  were  terrified  out  of  their 
senses.  Hendrik  at  this  moment  covered  him  with 
his  rifle,  took  cool  aim,  and  fired  ;  while  at  the  same 
instant  Swartboy  sent  an  arrow  whistling  through 
the  air. 

Both  had  aimed  truly.  Both  bullet  and  arrow 
struck ;  and  the  shaft  of  the  latter  could  be  seen 
sticking  in  the  lion's  thigh. 

The  fierce  brute,  that  up  to  this  time  had  exhibited 
the  most  determined  courage,  now  seemed  overcome 
with  a  sudden  fear.  Either  the  arrow  or  one  of  the 
bullets  must  have  sickened  him  with  the  combat ; 
for,  dropping  his  mop-like  tail  to  a  level  with  the 
line  of  his  back,  he  broke  away,  and,  trotting  sulkily 
forward,  sprang  in  at  the  door  of  the  kraal. 


68  A    LION    IN    THE    TRAP. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A   LION   IN   THE   TRAP. 

THERE  was  something  singular  in  the  lion  seeking 
shelter  in  so  unusual  a  place ;  but  it  showed  his 
sagacity.  There  was  no  other  cover  within  conve- 
nient distance,  and  to  have  reached  any  bush  that 
would  have  afforded  him  concealment,  since  the  pas- 
sage of  the  locusts,  would  have  been  difficult.  The 
mounted  hunters  could  easily  have,  overtaken  him, 
had  he  attempted  to  run  off.  He  was  aware  that 
the  house  was  uninhabited.  He  had  been  prowling 
around  it  all  the  night,  perhaps  within  it,  and,  there- 
fore, knew  what  sort  of  place  it  was. 

The  brute's  instinct  was  correct.  The  walls  of 
the  house  would  protect  him  from  the  guns  of  his 
enemies  at  a  distance ;  and  for  these  to  approach 
near  would  be  his  advantage  and  their  danger. 

An  odd  incident  occurred  as  the  lion  entered  the 
kraal.  There  was  a  large  window  in  one  end  of  the 
house.  Of  course  it  was  not  glazed  —  it  never  had 
been.  A  glass  window  is  a  rarity  in  these  parts. 
A  strong  wooden  shutter  alone  closed  it.  This  was 
still  hanging  on  its  hinges,  but  in  the  hurried 
"flitting  "  the  window  had  been  left  open.  The 
door  also  had  been  standing  ajar.  As  the  lion  sprang 
in  at  the  latter,  a  string  of  small  foxy,  wolf-like  creat- 


A   LION   IN   THE   TRAP.  69 

ures  came  pouring  out  through  the  former,  and  ran 
with  all  their  might  across  the  plain.  They  were 
jackals. 

As  it  afterwards  appeared,  one  of  the  oxen  had 
been  chased  into  the  house  by  either  lions  or  hyenas, 
and  killed  there.  His  carcass  had  been  overlooked 
by  the  larger  carnivora,  and  the  cunning  jackals  had 
been  making  a  quiet  breakfast  upon  it,  when  so  un- 
ceremoniously disturbed. 

The  entrance  of  their  terrible  king  in  such  angry 
mood,  by  the  door,  caused  the  fox-wolves  to  beat  a 
quick  retreat  by  the  window ;  and  the  appearance 
of  the  horsemen  without  had  still  further  frightened 
these  cowardly  brutes,  so  that  they  ran  away  from 
the  kraal  at  top  speed,  and  never  halted  until  they 
were  out  of  sight. 

The  three  hunters  could  not  restrain  a  laugh ;  but 
their  tone  was  suddenly  changed  by  another  incident 
that  happened  almost  at  the  same  moment. 

Von  Bloom  had  brought  with  him  his  two  fine 
dogs,  to  assist  in  driving  back  the  cattle. 

During  the  short  halt  the  party  had  made  by  the 
spring,  these  had  fastened  upon  a  half-eaten  carcass 
behind  the  walls  ;  and,  being  extremely  hungry,  had 
stuck  to  it,  even  after  the  horsemen  had  ridden  off. 
Neither  of  the  dogs  had  seen  the  lion,  until  the 
moment  when  the  savage  brute  charged  forward, 
and  was  making  for  the  kraal.  The  shots,  the  growl- 
ing of  the  lion,  and  the  loud  wings  of  the  vultures  as 
they  flew  off  affrighted,  told  the  dogs  that  something 
was  going  on  in  front,  at  which  they  ought  to  be 


10 


A    LION    IN    THE    TRAP. 


present ;  and,  forsaking  their  pleasant  meal,  both 
came  bounding  over  the  walls. 

They  reached  the  open  space  in  front  just  as  the 
lion  leaped  into  the  door;  and  without  hesitation 
the  brave,  noble  animals  rushed  on,  and  followed  him 
inside  the  house. 

For  some  moments  there  was  heard  a  confused 
chorus  of  noises ;  the  barking  and  worrying  of  the 
dogs,  the  growling  and  roaring  of  the  lion.  Then 
a  dull  sound  followed,  as  of  some  heavy  object  dashed 
against  the  wall.  Then  came  a  mournful  howl ; 
another,  another  ;  a  noise  like  the  cracking  of  bones  ; 
the  "  purr  "  of  the  great  brute  with  its  loud  rough 
bass  —  and  then  a  deep  silence.  The  struggle  was 
over.  This  was  evident,  as  the  dogs  np  longer  gave 
tongue.  Most  likely  they  were  killed. 

The  hunters  remained  watching  the  door  with 
feelings  of  intense  anxiety.  The  laugh  had  died 
upon  their  lips,  as  they  listened  to  those  hideous 
sounds,  the  signs  of  the  fearful  combat.  They 
called  their  dogs  byname.  They  hoped  to  see  them 
issue  forth,  even  if  wounded.  But  no.  The  dogs 
came  not  forth  ;  they  never  came  forth — they  were 
dead. 

A  long-continued  silence  followed  the  noise  of  the 
conflict.  Von  Bloom  could  no  longer  doubt  that  his 
favorite  and  only  dogs  had  been  killed. 

Excited  by  this  new  misfortune,  he  almost  lost 
prudence.  He  was  about  to  rush  forward  to  the 
door,  where  he  might  deliver  his  fire  close  to  the  hated 
enemy,  when  a  bright  idea  came  into  the  brain  of 
Swariboy  ;  and  the  Bushman  was  heard  calling  out, 


A    LION    IN    THE    TRAP.  71 

"  Baas  !  baas  !  we  shut  him  up  !  we  close  da  skel- 
lum  up !  " 

There  was  good  sense  in  this  suggestion ;  there 
was  plausibility  in  it.  Von  Bloom  saw  this ;  and, 
desisting  from  his  previous  intention,  he  determined 
to  adopt  Swartboy's  plan. 

But  how  was  it  to  be  executed  ?  The  door  still 
hung  upon  its  hinges,  as  also  the  window-shutter. 
If  they  could  only  get  hold  of  these,  and  shut  them 
fast,  they  would  have  the  lion  secure,  and  might 
destroy  him  at  their  leisure. 

But  how  to  shut  either  door  or  window  in  safety  ? 
That  was  the  difficulty  that  now  presented  itself. 

Should  they  approach  either,  the  lion  would  be 
certain  to  see  them  from  within  ;  and,  enraged  as  he 
now  was,  would  be  sure  to  spring  upon  them.  Even 
if  they  approached  on  horseback  to  effect  their  pur- 
pose, they  would  not  be  much  safer.  The  horses 
would  not  stand  quiet  while  they  stretched  out  to 
lay  hold  of  latch  or  handle.  All  three  of  the  animals 
were  already  dancing  with  excitement.  They  knew 
the  lion  was  inside,  an  occasional  growl  announced 
his  presence  there  ;  they  would  not  approach  either 
door  or  window  with  sufficient  coolness ;  and  their 
stamping  and  snorting  would  have  the  effect  of 
bringing  the  angry  beast  out  upon  them. 

It  was  clear,  then,  that  to  shut  either  door  or 
window  would  be  an  operation  of  great  danger.  So 
long  as  the  horsemen  were  in  open  ground,  and  at 
some  distance  from  the  lion,  they  had  no  cause  .to 
fear ;  but  should  they  approach  near  and  get 
entangled  among  the  walls,  some  one  of  them 


72  A    LION    IN    THE    TRAP. 

would  be  most  likely  to  fall  a  victim  to  the  ferocious 
brute. 

Low  as  may  be  the  standard  of  a  Bushman's  in- 
tellect, there  is  a  species  peculiar  to  him  in  which 
he  appears  to  excel.  In  all  matters  of  hunter-craft, 
his  intelligence,  or  instinct  you  might  almost  call  it, 
is  quite  a  match  for  the  more  highly-developed  mind 
of  the  Caucasian.  This  arises,  no  doubt,  from  the 
keen  and  frequent  exercise  of  those  particular  facul- 
ties —  keen  and  frequent,  because  his  very  existence 
often  depends  on  their  successful  employment. 

Huge  ill-shapen  head  that  Swartboy  carried  on 
his  shoulders,  there  was  an  ample  stock  of  brains  in 
it ;  and  a  life  of  keen  endeavor  to  keep  his  stomach 
supplied  had  taught  him  their  exercise.  At  that 
moment  Swartboy's  brains  came  to  the  relief  of  the 
party. 

"  Baas ! "  he  said,  endeavoring  to  restrain  the 
impatience  of  his  master,  "  vyacht  um  bige,  mein 
baas !  Leave  it  to  da  ole  Bushy  to  close  da  door. 
He  do  it." 

"  How  ?  "  inquired  Von  Bloom. 

"  Vyacht  um  bige,  mein  baas  !  no  long  to  wait  — 
you  see." 

All  three  had  ridden  up  together  within  less  than 
a  hundred  yards  of  the  kraal.  Von  Bloom  and 
Hendrik  sat  silent,  and  watched  the  proceedings  of 
the  Bushman. 

The  latter  drew  from  his  pocket  a  clue  of  small 
cord,  and,  having  carefully  uncoiled  it,  attached  one 
end  to  an  arrow.  He  then  rode  up  to  within  thirty 
yards  of  the  house,  and  dismounted,  not  directly 


A    LION    IN   THE    TRAP.  73 

opposite  the  entrance,  but  a  little  to  the  one  side,  so 
that  the  face  of  the  wooden  door,  which  was  fortu- 
nately but  three  quarters  open,  was  thus  fair  before 
him.  Keeping  the  bridle  over  his  arm,  he  now  bent 
his  bow,  and  sent  the  arrow  into  the  woodwork  of 
the  door.  There  it  was,  sticking  near  the  edge,  and 
just  under  the  latch. 

As  soon  as  Swartboy  delivered  the  shaft,  he  had 
leaped  back  into  his  saddle,  to  be  ready  for  retreat 
in  case  the  lion  should  charge  out.  He  still,  how- 
ever, kept  hold  of  the  string,  one  end  of  which  was 
attached  to  the  arrow. 

The  "thud"  of  the  arrow,  as  it  struck  the  door, 
had  drawn  the  attention  of  the  lion.  Of  course 
none  of  them  saw  him,  but  his  angry  growl  told  them 
that  it  was  so.  He  did  not  show  himself,  however, 
and  was  again  silent. 

Swartboy  now  drew  the  string  taut ;  first  felt  it 
with  a  steady  pull ;  and  then,  satisfied  of  its  strength, 
gave  it  a  stronger  jerk,  and  brought  the  door  to. 
The  latch  acted  beautifully,  and  the  door  remained 
shut  even  after  the  strain  was  taken  off  the  cord. 

To  have  opened  the  door  now,  the  lion  must  have 
had  the  sagacity  to  lift  the  latch,  or  else  must  have 
broken  through  the  thick,  strong  planks  —  neither 
of  which  things  was  to  be  feared. 

But  the  window  still  remained  open,  and  through 
it  the  lion  could  easily  leap  out.  Swartboy,  of  course, 
designed  closing  it  in  the  same  manner  as  he  had 
done  the  door. 

But  now  arose  a  particular  danger.  He  had  only 
one  piece  of  cord.  That  was  attached  to  the  arrow 


74  A    LION    IN    THE   TRAP. 

that  still  stuck  fast.  How  was  he  to  detach  and  get 
possession  of  it  ? 

There  appeared  to  be  no  other  way  but  by  going 
up  to  the  door  and  cutting  it  from  the  shaft.  In  this 
lay  the  danger;  for,  should  the  lion  perceive  him 
and  rush  out  by  the  window,  it  would  be  all  over 
with  the  Bushman. 

Like  most  of  his  race,  Swartboy  was  more  cunning 
than  brave  —  though  he  was  far  from  being  a  coward. 
Still,  he  was  by  no  means  inclined  at  that  moment 
to  go  up  to  the  door  of  the  kraal. 

The  angry  growls  from  within  would  have  made  a 
stouter  heart  than  Swartboy's  quail  with  fear. 

In  this  dilemma  Hendrik  came  to  his  relief.  Hen- 
drik  had  conceived  a  way  of  getting  possession  of 
the  string,  without  going  near  the  door. 

Calling  to  Swartboy  to  be  on  his  guard,  he  rode 
within  thirty  yards  of  the  entrance,  but  on  the  other 
side  from  where  Swartboy  was,  and  there  halted. 
At  the  place  there  stood  a  post  with  several  forks 
upon  it,  that  had  been  used  as  a  bridle-post. 

Hendrik  dismounted,  hooked  his  rein  over  one  of 
these  forks,  rested  his  yager  across  another,  and 
then,  sighting  the  shaft  of  the  arrow,  pulled  trigger. 
The  rifle  cracked,  the  broken  stick  was  seen  to  fly 
out  from  the  door,  and  the  string  was  set  free. 

All  were  ready  to  gallop  off;  but  the  lion, 
although  he  growled  fiercely  on  hearing  the  shot, 
still  lay  close. 

Swartboy  now  drew  in  the  string ;  and,  having 
adjusted  it  to  a  fresh  arrow,  moved  round  so  as  to 
command  a  view  of  the  window.  In  a  few  minutes 


A   LION   IN   THE   TRAP.  T5 

the  shaft  had  cut  through  the  air  and  stuck  deep  into 
the  yielding  wood,  and  then  the  shutter  swung  round 
on  its  hinges,  and  was  drawn  close. 

All  three  now  dismounted,  ran  silently  and  rapidly 
up,  and  secured  both  door  and  shutter  with  strong 
rheins  of  raw-hide. 

Hurra  !  the  lion  was  caged  I 


76  THE    DEATH    OF    THE    LION. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   DEATH   OF   THE   LION. 

YES,  the  fierce  brute  was  fairly  in  the  trap.  The 
three  hunters  breathed  freely. 

But  how  was  the  affair  to  end  ?  Both  door  and 
window-shutter  fitted  strongly  and  closely ;  and,, 
although  it  was  possible  to  glance  through  the 
chinks,  nothing  could  be  seen  inside  —  since,  both 
being  shut,  it  was  quite  dark  within. 

Even  could  the  lion  have  been  seen,  there  was  no 
hole  through  which  to  thrust  the  muzzle  of  a  gun 
and  fire  at  him.  He  was  just  as  safe  as  his  captors ; 
and,  so  long  as  the  door  remained  closed,  they  could 
do  him  no  more  harm  than  he  could  them. 

They  might  leave  him  shut  up,  and  let  him  starve. 
He  could  live  for  a  while  upon  what  the  jackals  had 
left,  with  the  carcasses  of  the  two  dogs ;  but  that 
would  not  sustain  him  long,  and  in  the  end  he  would 
have  to  give  up  and  miserably  perish.  After  all, 
this  did  not  seem  so  certain  to  Von  Bloom  and  his 
companions.  Finding  that  he  was  caged  in  earnest, 
the  brute  might  attack  the  door,  and  with  his  sharp 
claws  and  teeth  manage  to  cut  his  way  through. 

But  the  angry  field-cornet  had  not  the  slightest 
intention  of  leaving  the  lion  such  a  chance.  He  was 
determined  to  destroy  the  beast,  before  leaving  the 


THE    DEATH    OF    THE    LION.  77 

ground  ;  and  he  now  set  to  thinking  how  this  could 
be  accomplished  in  the  speediest  and  most  effectual 
manner. 

At  first  he  thought  of  cutting  a  hole  in  the  door 
with  his  knife,  large  enough  to  see  through  and 
admit  the  barrel  of  his  roer.  Should  he  not  succeed 
in  getting*  a  view  of  the  beast  through  that  one,  he 
would  make  another  in  the  window-shutter.  The 
two  being  on  adjacent  sides  of  the  house,  would 
give  him  the  command  of  the  whole  interior — for 
the  former  dwelling  of  the  field-cornet  comprised 
only  a  single  apartment.  During  his  residence  there, 
there  had  been  two,  thanks  to  a  partition  of  zebra- 
skins  ;  but  these  had  been  removed,  and  all  was 
now  in  one  room. 

At  first  Von  Bloom  could  think  of  no  other  plan 
to  get  at  the  enemy,  and  yet  this  one  did  not  quite 
please  him.  It  was  safe  enough,  and,  if  carried  cut, 
could  only  end  in  the  death  of  the  lion. 

A  hole  in  both  door  and  window-shutter  would 
enable  them  to  fire  at  the  brute  as  many  bullets  as 
they  pleased,  while  they  would  be  quite  secure  from 
his  attack.  But  the  time  that  would  be  required  to 
cut  these  holes  —  that  was  why  the  plan  did  not 
please  the  field-cornet.  He  and  his  party  had  no 
time  to  spare  :  their  horses  were  weak  with  hunger, 
and  a  long  journey  lay  before  them  ere  a  morsel 
could  be  obtained.  No, —  the  time  could  not  be 
spared  for  making  a  breach.  Some  more  expeditious 
mode  of  attack  must  be  devised. 

"Father,"  said  Hendrik,  "suppose  we  set  the 
house  on  fire  ?  " 


78  THE    DEATH    OF    THE    LION. 

Good.  The  suggestion  was  a  good  one.  Yon 
Bloom  cast  his  eyes  up  to  the  roof —  a  sloping  struc- 
ture, with  long  eaves.  It  consisted  of  heavy  beams 
of  dry  wood,  with  rafters  and  laths,  and  all  covered 
over  with  a  thatch  of  rushes,  a  foot  in  thickness.  It 
would  make  a  tremendous  blaze,  and  the  smoke 
would  be  likely  enough  to  suffocate  the"  lion  even 
before  the  blaze  could  get  at  him. 

The  suggestion  of  Hendrik  was  adopted.  They 
prepared  to  fire  the  house. 

There  was  still  a  large  quantity  of  rubbish, —  the 
collected  firewood,  which  the  locusts  had  not  de- 
voured. This  would  enable  them  to  carry  out  their 
purpose  ;  and  all  three  immediately  set  about  hauling 
it  up,  and  piling  it  against  the  door. 

One  might  almost  have  fancied  that  the  lion  had 
fathomed  their  design  ;  for,  although  he  had  been 
for  a  long  while  quite  silent,  he  now  commenced  a 
fresh  spell  of  roaring.  Perhaps  the  noise  of  the  logs, 
striking  against  the  door  outside,  had  set  him  at  it ; 
and,  finding  himself  thus  shut  up  and  baited,  he  had 
grown  impatient.  What  he  had  sought  as  a  shelter 
had  been  turned  into  a  trap,  and  he  was  now  anxious 
to  get  out  of  it. 

This  was  evident  by  the  demonstrations  he  began 
to  make.  They  could  hear  him  rushing  about  — 
passing  from  door  to  window  —  striking  both  with 
his  huge  paws,  and  causing  them  to  shake  upon 
their  hinges  —  all  the  while  uttering  the  most  fiend- 
ish roars. 

Though  not  without  some  apprehensions,  the  three 
continued  their  work.  They  had  their  horses  at 


THE    LION    IN    A    FIX. 


Page    79. 


THE    DEATH    OF   THE    LION.  79 

hand,  ready  to  be  mounted  in  case  the  lion  might 
make  his  way  through  the  fire.  In  fact,  they  in- 
tended to  take  to  their  saddles,  as  soon  as  the  fire 
should  be  fairly  under  way,  and  watch  the  confla- 
gration from  a  safe  distance. 

They  had  dragged  up  all  the  bush  and  dry  wood, 
and  had  piled  them  in  front  of  the  door.  Swartboy 
had  taken  out  his  flint  and  steel,  and  was  about  to 
strike,  when  a  loud  scratching  was  heard  from  the 
inside,  unlike  anything  that  had  yet  reached  their 
ears.  It  was  the  rattling  of  the  lion's  claws  against 
the  wall,  but  it  had  an  odd  sound,  as  if  the  animal 
was  struggling  violently  ;  at  the  same  time  his  voice 
seemed  hoarse  and  smothered,  and  appeared  to  come 
from  a  distance. 

What  was  the  brute  doing  ? 

They  stood,  for  a  moment,  looking  anxiously  in 
each  other's  faces.  The  scratching  continued  —  the 
hoarse  growling  at  intervals  —  but  this  ended  at 
length  }  and  then  came  a  snort,  followed  by  a  roar 
so  loud  and  clear,  that  all  three  started  in  affright. 
They  could  not  believe  that  walls  were  between  them 
and  their  dangerous  enemy. 

Again  echoed  that  horrid  cry.  Great  Heaven ! 
It  proceeded  no  longer  from  the  inside  —  it  came 
from  above  them  ! 

Was  the  lion  upon  the  roof  ? 

All  three  rushed  backward  a  step  or  two,  and 
looked  up.  A  sight  was  before  them  that  rendered 
them  almost  speechless  with  surprise  and  terror. 

Above  the  funnel  of  the  chimney  appeared  the 
head  of  the  lion  ;  his  glaring  yellow  eyes  and  white 


80  THE    DEATH    OF    THE    LION. 

teeth  showing  more  fearful  from  contrast  with  the 
black  soot  that  begrimmed  him.  He  was  dragging 
his  body  up.  One  foot  was  already  above  the  cap- 
stone ;  and  with  this  and  his  teeth  he  was  widening 
the  aperture  around  him. 

It  was  a  terrible  sight  to  behold  —  at  least  to  those 
below. 

As  already  stated,  they  were  alarmed  ;  and  would 
have  taken  to  their  horses,  had  they  not  perceived 
that  the  animal  was  stuck  fast ! 

It  was  evident  that  this  was  the  case,  but  it  was 
equally  evident  that  in  a  few  moments  he  would 
succeed  in  clearing  himself  from  the  chimney.  His 
teeth  and  claws  were  hard  at  work,  and  the  stones 
and  mortar  were  flying  in  all  directions.  The  funnel 
would  soon  be  down  below  his  broad  chest,  and 
then 

Von  Bloom  did  not  stay  to  think  what  then.  He 
and  Hendrik,  guns  in  hand,  ran  up  near  the  bottom 
of  the  wall.  The  chimney  was  but  a  score  of  feet 
in  height ;  the  long  roer  was  pointed  upward,  reach- 
ing nearly  half  that  distance.  The  yager  was  also 
aimed.  Both  cracked  together.  The  lion's  eyes 
suddenly  closed,  his  head  shook  convulsively,  his 
paw  dropped  loose  over  the  capstone,  his  jaws  fell 
open,  and  blood  trickled  down  his  tongue.  In  a  few 
moments  he  was  dead  ! 

This  was  apparent  to  every  one.  But  Swartboy 
was  not  satisfied  until  he  had  discharged  about  a 
score  of  his  arrows  at  the  head  of  the  animal,  causing 
it  to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  porcupine. 

So  tightly  had  the   huge  beast  wedged  himself, 


THE    DEATH    OF    THE    LION.  81 

that  even  after  death  he  still  remained  in  his  singu- 
lar situation. 

Under  other  circumstances  he  would  have  been 
dragged  down  for  the  sake  of  his  skin.  But  there 
was  no  time  to  spare  for  skinning  him ;  and  with- 
out further  delay  Yon  Bloom  and  his  companions 
mounted  their  horses  and  rode  off. 
6 


82  A    TALK    ABOUT    LIONS. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

A   TALK    ABOUT   LIONS. 

As  they  rode  back  they  conversed  about  lions,  to 
beguile  the  time.  All  of  them  knew  something 
about  these  animals.  But  Swartboy,  who  had  been 
born  and  brought  up  in  the  bush,  in  the  very  midst 
of  their  haunts,  as  it  were,  of  course  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  their  habits  —  ay,  far  better  than 
Monsieur  Buffon  himself. 

To  describe  the  personal  appearance  of  a  lion 
would  be  to  waste  words.  Every  one  who  can  read 
must  know  the  lion  by  sight,  either  from  having  seen 
one  in  a  zoological  collection,  or  the  stuffed  skin  of 
one  in  a  museum.  Every  one  knows  the  form  of  the 
animal,  and  his  great  shaggy  mane.  Every  one 
knows,  moreover,  that  the  female  is  without  this 
appendage,  and  in  shape  and  size  differs  consider- 
ably from  the  male. 

Though  there  are  no  two  species  of  lions,  there  are 
what  are  termed  varieties  ;  but  these  differ  very  little 
from  each  other  —  far  less  than  the  varieties  of  most 
other  animals. 

There  are  seven  acknowledged  varieties.  The 
Barbary  lion,  the  lion  of  Senegal,  the  Indian  lion, 
the  Persian,  the  yellow  Cape,  the  black  Cape,  and 
the  maneless  lion. 


A    TALK    ABOUT   LIONS.  83 

The  difference  among  these  animals  is  not  so 
great  but  that  at  a  glance  any  one  may  tell  they 
were  all  of  one  species  and  kind.  The  Persian 
variety  is  rather  smaller  than  the  others  ;  the  Bar- 
bary  is  of  darker  brown  and  heavily  maned  ;  the 
lion  of  Senegal  is  of  light  shining  yellow  color,  and 
thinly  maned  ;  while  the  maneless  lion,  as  its  name 
imports,  is  without  this  appendage.  The  existence 
of  the  last  species  is  doubted  by  some  naturalists. 
It  is  said  to  be  found  in  Syria. 

The  two  Cape  lions  differ  principally  in  the  color 
of  the  mane.  In  the  one  it  is  black  or  dark  brown  ; 
in  the  other,  of  a  tawny  yellow,  like  the  rest  of  the 
body. 

Of  all  lions,  those  of  South  Africa  are  perhaps 
the  largest,  and  the  black  variety  the  most  fierce 
and  dangerous. 

Lions  inhabit  the  whole  continent  of  Africa,  and 
the  southern  countries  of  Asia.  They  were  once 
common  in  parts  of  Europe,  where  they  exist  no 
longer.  There  are  no  lions  in  America.  The  animal 
known  in  Spanish-American  countries  as  the  lion 
(leon)  is  the  cougar  or  puma  (Felis  concolor),  which 
is  not  one  third  the  lion's  size,  and  resembles  the 
king  of  beasts  only  in  being  of  the  same  tawny  color. 
The  puma  is  not  unlike  a  lion's  cub  six  months  old. 

Africa  is  peculiarly  the  country  of  the  lion.  He 
is  found  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  that  conti- 
nent—  excepting,  of  course,  a  few  thickly-inhabited 
spots,  from  which  he  has  been  expelled  by  man. 

The  lion  has  been  called  the  "  king  of  the  forest." 
This  appears  to  be  a  misnomer.  He  is  not  properly 


84  A    TALK    ABOUT    LIONS. 

a  forest  animal.  He  cannot  climb  trees,  and  there- 
fore  in  the  forest  would  less  easily  procure  his  food 
than  in  the  open  plain.  The  panther,  the  leopard, 
the  jaguar,  are  all  tree-climbers.  They  can  follow 
the  bird  to  its  roost,  and  the  monkey  to  its  perch. 
The  forest  is  their  appropriate  home.  They  are 
forest  animals.  Not  so  the  lion.  It  is  upon  the 
open  plains,  where  the  great  ruminants  love  to 
roam,  and  among  the  low  bushy  thickets  that  skirt 
them,  that  the  lion  affects  to  dwell. 

He  lives  upon  flesh, —  the  flesh  of  many  kinds  of 
animals,  though  he  has  his  favorites,  according  to  the 
country  in  which  he  is  found.  He  kills  these  animals 
for  himself.  The  story  of  the  jackal  being  his  "  pro- 
vider,"—  killing  them  for  him, —  is  not  true.  More 
often  he  himself  provides  the  skulking  jackals  with  a 
meal.  Hence  their  being  often  seen  in  his  com- 
pany—  which  they  keep,  in  order  to  pick  up  his 
"  crumbs. " 

The  lion  "butchers"  for  himself,  though  he  will 
not  object  to  have  it  done  for  him  ;  and  will  take 
away  their  game  from  wolf,  jackal,  or  hyena  —  from 
the  hunter,  if  he  can. 

The  lion  is  not  a  fast  runner  —  none  of  the  true 
felidoe  are.  Nearly  all  the  ruminant  animals  can 
outrun  him.  How,  then,  does  he  capture  them  ? 

By  stratagem,  by  the  suddenness  of  his  attack, 
and  by  the  length  and  velocity  of  his  bound.  He 
lies  in  wait,  or  -steals  upon  them.  He  springs  from 
his  crouching  place.  His  peculiar  anatomical  struc- 
ture enables  him  to  spring  to  an  immense  distance  — 
in  fact,  to  an  almost  incredible  distance.  Sixteen 


A    TALK    ABOUT    LIONS.  85 

paces  have  been  alleged  by  writers,  who  say  they 
were  eye-witnesses,  and  carefully  measured  the  leap  ! 

Should  he  fail  to  capture  his  prey  at  the  first 
bound,  the  lion  follows  it  no  further,  but  turns  and 
trots  away  in  an  opposite  direction. 

Sometimes,  however,  the  intended  victim  tempts 
him  to  a  second  spring,  and  even  to  a  third  ;  but 
failing  then,  he  is  sure  to  give  up  the  pursuit. 

The  lion  "is  not  gregarious,  although  as  many  as 
ten  or  a  dozen  are  often  seen  together.  They  hunt 
in  company  at  times,  and  drive  the  game  towards  one 
another. 

They  attack  and  destroy  all  other  species  of  ani- 
mals that  inhabit  the  country  around  them  —  even 
the  strong,  heavy  rhinoceros  is  not  feared  by  them, 
though  the  latter  frequently  foils  and  conquers  them. 
Young  elephants  sometimes  become  their  prey.  The 
fierce  buffalo,  the  giraffe,  the  oryx,  the  huge  eland, 
and  the  eccentric  gnoo,  all  have  to  succumb  to  their 
superior  strength  and  armature. 

But  they  are  not  universally  victorious  over  these 
animals.  Sometimes  they  are  vanquished  by  one  or 
other  of  them,  and  in  turn  become  victims.  Some- 
times both  combatants  leave  their  bodies  upon  the 
scene  of  the  struggle. 

The  lion  is  not  hunted  as  a  profession.  His  spoils 
are  worthless.  His  skin  sells  for  but  little,  and  he 
yields  no  other  trophy  of  any  value.  As  hunting 
him  is  attended  with  great  danger,  and  the  hunter, 
as  already  stated,  may  avoid  him  if  he  wishes,  but 
few  lions  would  be  destroyed,  were  it  not  for  a  cer- 
tain offensive  habit  to  which  they  are  addicted  —  that 


86  A    TALK    ABOUT    LIOX3. 

of  robbing  the  vee-boor  of  his  horses  and  his  cattle. 
This  brings  a  new  passion  into  play, —  the  vengeance 
of  the  farmer  ;  and,  with  such  a  motive  to  urge  on 
the  hunt,  the  lion  in  some  parts  is  chased  with  great 
zeal  and  assiduity. 

But  where  there  are  no  cattle-farms  no  such 
motive  exists ;  and  there  but  little  interest  is  felt 
in  the  chase  of  this  animal.  Nay,  what  is  still 
stranger,  the  Bushmen  and  other  poor  wandering 
tribes  do  not  kill  the  lion  at  all,  or  very  seldom. 
They  do  not  regard  him  with  feelings  of  hostility. 
The  lion  acts  towards  them  as  a  "  provider." 

Hendrik,  who  had  heard  of  this,  asked  Swartboy 
if  it  was  true. 

The  Bushman  answered  at  once  in  the  affirma- 
tive. 

His  people,  he  said,  were  in  the  habit  of  watching 
the  lion,  or  following  his  spoor,  until  they  came  upon 
either  himself  or  the  quarry  he  had  killed.  Some- 
times the  vultures  guided  them  to  it.  When  the 
"  tao  "  chanced  to  be  on  the  spot,  or  had  not  yet 
finished  his  meal,  his  trackers  would  wait  until  he 
had  taken  his  departure,  after  which  they  would 
steal  up  and  appropriate  what  remained  of  the  spoil. 
Often  this  would  be  the  half,  or  perhaps  three  parts, 
of  some  large  animal,  which  they  might  have  found 
a  difficulty  in  killing  for  themselves. 

Knowing  the  lion  will  rarely  attack  them,  the 
Bushmen  are  not  much  afraid  of  these  animals. 
On  the  contrary,  they  rather  rejoice  at  seeing  them 
numerous  in  their  district,  as  they  are  then  provided 
with  hunters  able  to  furnish  them  with  food. 


THE    TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED.  87 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE   TRAVELLERS   BENIGHTED. 

OUR  travellers  would  have  talked  much  more  about 
lions,  but  for  the  condition  of  their  horses.  This 
made  them  feel  uneasy.  With  the  exception  of  a 
few  hours'  grazing,  the  poor  brutes  had  been  without 
food  since  the  appearance  of  the  locusts.  Horses 
do  not  travel  well  upon  soft  grass,  and  of  course 
they  were  now  suffering  severely. 

It  would  be  far  in  the  night  before  the  horsemen 
could  reach  the  camp,  although  they  were  pushing 
on  as  fast  as  the  horses  could  travel. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  they  arrived  at  the  spot 
where  they  had  halted  the  previous  evening.  In 
fact,  it  was  very  dark.  Neither  moon  nor  stars,  were 
to  be  seen  in  the  sky  ;  and  thick  black  clouds  cov- 
ered the  whole  canopy  of  the  heavens.  It  looked  as 
though  a  rain-storm  might  be  expected  ;  still  no 
rain  had  as  yet  fallen. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  travellers  to  halt  at 
this  place,  and  let  their  horses  graze  a  while.  With 
this  view  they  all  dismounted  ;  but,  after  trying  one 
or  two  places,  they  could  find  no  grass. 

This  appeared  strange,  as  they  had  certainly  ob- 
served grass  at  that  very  spot  the  day  before.  *  Now 
there  was  none. 


88  THE    TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED. 

The  horses  put  their  noses  to  the  ground,  but 
raised  them  up  again,  snorting  as  they  did  so,  and 
evidently  disappointed.  They  were  hungry  enough 
to  have  eaten  grass  had  there  been  any,  for  they 
eagerly  snatched  at  the  leaves  of  the  bushes  as  they 
passed  along. 

Had  the  locusts  been  there  also  ?  No.  The 
mimosa-bushes  still  retained  their  delicate  foliage, 
which  would  not  have  been  the  case  had  the  locusts 
visited  the  spot. 

Our  travellers  were  astonished  that  there  was  no 
grass.  Surely  there  was  some  the  day  before.  Had 
they  got  upon  a  new  track  ? 

The  darkness  prevented  them  from  having  a  view 
of  the  ground  ;  yet  Yon  Bloom  could  not  be  mistaken 
about  the  route,  having  travelled  it  four  times 
already.  Though  he  could  not  see  the  surface, 
every  now  and  again  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  some 
tree  or  bush  which  he  had  marked  in  his  former 
journeys,  and  these  assured  him  they  were  still  upon 
the  right  track. 

Surprised  at  the  absence  of  grass  where  they  had 
so  lately  observed  it,  they  would  have  examined  the 
surface  more  carefully  ;  but  they  were  anxious  to 
push  on  to  the  spring,  and  at  length  gave  up  the 
idea  of  halting.  The  water  in  their  gourds  had  been 
used  up  long  before  this  ;  and  both  they  and  their 
horses  were  once  more  suffering  from  thirst. 

Besides,  Von  Bloom  was  not  without  some  anxiety 
about  the  children  at  the  wagon.  He  had  been 
separated  from  them  now  a  full  day  and  a  half,  and 
many  a  change  might  take  place,  many  a  danger 


THE   TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED.  89 

might  arise,  in  that  time.  In  fact,  he  began  to  blame 
himself  for  having  left  them  alone.  It  would  have 
been  better  to  have  let  his  cattle  perish.  So  thought 
he  now.  A  presentiment  that  all  was  not  right  was 
gradually  forming  in  his  mind  ;  and  he  grew  more 
anxious  to  proceed  as  he  reflected. 

They  rode  on  in  silence.  It  was  only  on  Hendrik 
expressing  a  doubt  about  the  way  that  the  conversa- 
tion recommenced.  Swartboy  also  thought  they 
were  taking  a  wrong  course. 

At  first  Von  Bloom  assured  them  they  were  right ; 
but,  after  going  a  little  further,  he  admitted  that  he 
was  in  doubt;  and  then,  after  another  half-mile's 
travelling,  he  declared  that  he  had  lost  the  track. 
He  could  no  longer  recognize  any  one  of  the  marks 
or  bearings  he  had  taken. 

The  proper  thing  to  be  done,  under  these  circum- 
stances, was  to  leave  the  horses  to  themselves  ;  and 
this  all  three  well  knew.  But  the  animals  were  suf- 
fering the  pangs  of  hunger,  and  when  left  to  them- 
selves would  not  journey  forward,  but  rushed  up  to 
the  mimosa-bushes,  and  eagerly  commenced  devour- 
ing their  leaves. 

The  consequence  was  that  their  riders  were 
obliged  to  keep  them  going  with  whip  and  spur; 
and  in  that  way  there  was  no  certainty  of  the  horses 
taking  the  right  direction. 

After  several  hours'  advancing,  all  the  while  in  a 
state  of  suspense,  and  as  yet  no  appearance  of  either 
wagon  or  camp-fire,  the  travellers  resolved  upon 
coming  to  a  halt.  It  was  of  no  use  going  forward. 
They  believed  they  could  not  be  far  from  the  camp  ; 


90  THE    TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED. 

but  they  were  now  as  likely  to  be  riding  from  as 
towards  it,  and  they  concluded  at  length  that  it  would 
be  wiser  to  remain  where  they  were  until  the  day 
broke. 

They  all  dismounted,  therefore,  and  fastened  their 
horses  to  the  bushes,  so  that  the  animals  could 
browse  upon  the  leaves  till  morning,  which  could 
not  now  be  very  far  off.  They  rolled  themselves  up 
in  their  karosses,  and  lay  down  upon  the  earth. 

Hendrik  and  Swartboy  were  soon  asleep.  Von 
Bloom  would  have  slept  too,  for  he  was  tired  enough  ; 
but  the  heart  of  the  father  was  too  full  of  anxiety  to 
allow  repose  to  his  eyes,  and  he  lay  awake  watching 
for  the  dawn. 

It  came  at  length,  and  at  the  first  light  his  eyes 
swept  the  surface  of  the  surrounding  country.  The 
party  had  by  chance  halted  on  an  eminence  that 
commanded  a  good  view  for  miles  on  each  side,  but 
the  field-cornet  had  not  glanced  half  around  the  cir- 
cle, when  an  object  came  before  his  eyes  that  brought 
gladness  to  his  heart.  It  was  the  white  tent  of  the 
wagon. 

The  joyful  exclamation  he  uttered  awoke  the 
sleepers,  who  immediately  sprang  to  their  feet ;  and 
all  three  stood  gazing  at  the  welcome  sight. 

As  they  continued  to  gaze,  their  joy  gradually 
gave  place  to  feelings  of  surprise.  Was  it  their 
wagon,  after  all  ? 

It  certainly  looked  like  theirs  ;  but  it  was  a  full 
half-mile  off,  and  at  such  a  distance  one  wagon  would 
look  just  like  another.  But  what  led  them  to  doubt 
its  being  theirs  ?  It  was  the  appearance  of  the  place 


THE   TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED.  91 

in  which  they  saw  it.  Surely  it  was  not  the  same 
place  in  which  they  had  outspanned. 

Theirs  had  been  left  in  an  oblong  valley  between  two 
gentle  ridges ;  in  such  a  valley  was  this  one  stand- 
ing. Near  a  small  pool  formed  by  a  spring ;  here, 
too,  was  the  same,  for  they  could  perceive  the  water 
shining.  But  in  all  other  respects  the  situation  was 
different.  The  surface  of  the  valley  in  which  their 
wagon  had  been  left  was  covered,  both  sides  and 
bottom,  with  a  verdant  carpet  of  grass  ;  whereas  the 
one  now  before  their  eyes  was  brown  and  bare. 
Not  a  blade  of  grass  was  to  be  seen  —  the  trees 
seeming  to  be  the  only  things  that  had  any  verdure. 
Even  the  low  bushes  appeared  to  be  destitute  of 
leaves.  The  scene  had  no  resemblance  whatever  to 
that  where  they  had  outspanned.  It  must  be  the 
camp  of  some  other  travellers,  thought  they. 

They  had  fully  arrived  at  this  conclusion,  when 
Swartboy,  whose  eyes  had  been  rolling  about  every- 
where, now  rested  upon  the  ground  at  his  feet. 
After  a  moment's  observation,  which  the  increasing 
light  now  enabled  him  to  make,  he  turned  suddenly 
to  the  others,  and  directed  their  attention  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  plain.  This  they  saw  was  covered  with 
tracks,  as  if  a  thousand  hoofs  had  passed  over  it.  In 
fact,  it  presented  the  appearance  of  a  vast  sheep- 
pen  ;  so  vast,  that  as  far  as  their  sight  extended 
they  beheld  the  same  tracked  and  trampled  appear- 
ance. 

What  could  this  mean  ?  Hendrik  did  not  know. 
Von  Bloom  was  in  doubt.  Swartboy  could  tell  at 
the  first  glance.  It  was  no  new  sight  to  him. 


92  THE   TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED. 

"  All  right,  baas/'  he  said,  looking  up  in  his  mas- 
ter's face.  "Da's  da  ole  wagon !  da  same  spring 
an  vley,  da  same  place  ;  dar  hab  been  um  trek- 
boken!"  ' 

"  A  trek-boken  !  ".  cried  Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik, 
in  a  breath. 

"  Ya,  baas  ;  a  mighty  big  one  too  ;  das  de  spoor 
of  dem  antelope.  See  !  " 

Von  Bloom  now  comprehended  all.  The  bareness 
of  the  country,  the  absence  of  the  leaves  on  the  lower 
bushes,  the  millions  of  small  hoof-tracks,  all  were 
now  explained.  A  migration  of  the  springbok  ante- 
lope, a  "  trek-boken,"  had  swept  over  the  spot. 
That  it  was  that  had  caused  such  a  mighty  change. 
The  wagon  they  saw  was  theirs,  after  all. 

They  lost  no  time,  but,  catching  their  horses, 
bridled  them,  and  rode  rapidly  down  the  hill. 

Though  somewhat  relieved  at  seeing  the  wagon, 
Yon  Bloom  was  still  apprehensive. 

As  they  approached,  they  perceived  the  two  horses 
standing  beside  it,  and  tied  to  the  wheels ;  the  cow 
also  was  there  ;  but  neither  goats  nor  sheep  were  in 
the  neighborhood. 

There  was  a  fire  burning  in  the  rear  of  the  hind- 
wheels,  and  a  dark  mass  underneath  the  wagon,  but 
no  human  form  could  be  observed. 

The  hearts  of  the  horsemen  beat  loudly  as  they 
advanced.  Their  eyes  were  bent  earnestly  upon  the 
wagon.  They  felt  keen  anxiety. 

They  had  got  within  three  hundred  yards,  and  still 
no  one  stirred  —  no  human  form  made  its  appearance. 
Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik  now  suffered  intensely. 


THE   TRAVELLERS    BENIGHTED.  93 

At  this  moment  the  two  horses  by  the  wagon 
neighed  loudly  ;  the  dark  mass  under  the  wagon 
moved,  rolled  outward,  rose  up,  and  stood  erect. 
Totty  was  recognized. 

And  now  the  "  after-clap "  of  the  wagon  was 
hurriedly  drawn  aside,  and  three  young  faces  were 
seen  peeping  forth. 

A  shout  of  joy  burst  from  the  horsemen,  and  the 
next  moment  little  Jan  and  Triiey  leaped  out  from 
the  cap-tent  into  the  arms  of  their  father  ;  while  the 
mutual  congratulations  of  Hans  and  Hendrik,  Swart- 
boy  and  Totty,  produced  for  some  moments  a  scene 
of  joyful  confusion  quite  indescribable. 


94  THE    TREK-BOKEN. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    TREK-BOKEN. 

THOSE  who  remained  by  the  camp  had  had  their 
adventures  too  ;  and  their  tale  was  by  no  means  a 
merry  one,  for  it  disclosed  the  unpleasant  fact  that 
the  sheep  and  goats  were  all  lost.  The  flock  had 
been  carried  off,  in  a  most  singular  manner ;  and 
there  was  but  little  hope  of  their  ever  being  seen 
again. 

Hans  began  his  tale  : 

"  Nothing  unusual  occurred  on  the  day  you  left 
us.  I  was  busy  all  the  afternoon  in  cutting  '  wait-a- 
bit  ;  thorns  for  a  kraal.  Totty  helped  me  to  drag 
them  up,  while  Jan  and  Triiey  looked  after  the  flock. 
The  animals  did  not  stray  out  of  the  valley  here,  as 
the  grass  was  good,  and  they  had  had  enough  of 
trotting  lately. 

"  Well ;  Totty  and  I  got  the  kraal,  as  you  see,  all 
ready.  So,  when  night  came,  we  drove  the  flock  in  ; 
and,  after  milking  the  cow  and  getting  our  supper, 
we  all  went  to  bed.  We  were  precious  tired,  and 
all  of  us  slept  soundly  throughout  the  night,  without 
being  disturbed.  Both  jackals  and  hyenas  came 
around,  but  we  knew  they  would  not  break  into  that 
kraal." 


THE    TREK-BOKEN.  95 

Hans  pointed  to  the  circular  enclosure  of  thorn- 
bushes,  that  had  been  well  constructed. 

He  then  proceeded  with  his  narration : 

"  In  the  morning  we  found  everything  right. 
Totty  again  milked  the  cow,  and  we  had  breakfast. 
The  flock  was  let  out  upon  the  grass,  and  so  were 
the  cow  and  the  two  horses. 

"Just  about  midday  I  began  to  think  what  we 
were  to  have  for  dinner,  for  the  breakfast  had  cleared 
up  everything.  I  did  not  like  to  kill  another  sheep, 
if  it  could  be  helped.  So,  bidding  Jan  and  Triiey 
stay  close  by  the  wagon,  and  leaving  Totty  to  look 
after  the  flock,  I  took  my  gun  and  started  off  in 
search  of  game.  I  took  no  horse,  for  I  thought  I 
saw  springboks  out  on  the  plain  ;  and  I  would  stalk 
them  better  a-foot. 

"  Sure  enough,  there  were  springboks.  When  I 
got  out  of  the  valley  here,  and  had  a  better  view,  I 
saw  what  astonished  me,  I  can  assure  you. 

"  I  could  scarce  credit  my  eyes.  The  whole  plain, 
towards  the  west,  appeared  to  be  one  vast  crowd  of 
animals ;  and,  by  their  bright  yellow  sides,  and  the 
snow-white  hair  on  their  rumps,  I  knew  they  were 
springboks.  They  were  all  in  motion,  some  brows- 
ing along,  while  hundreds  of  them  were  constantly 
bounding  up  into  the  air  full  ten  feet  high,  and  leap- 
ing on  top  of  each  other.  I  assure  you  all  it  was 
one  of  the  strangest  sights  I  ever  beheld,  and  one 
of  the  pleasantest  too  ;  for  I  knew  that  the  creatures 
that  covered  the  plain,  instead  of  being  fierce  wild 
beasts,  were  nothing  but  graceful  and  beautiful  little 
gazelles. 


96  THE    TREK-BOKEN. 

"  My  first  thought  was  to  get  near  them,  and 
have  a  shot ;  and  I  was  about  to  start  off  over  the 
plain,  when  I  perceived  that  the  antelopes  were 
coming  towards  me.  I  saw  that  they  were  approach- 
ing with  considerable  rapidity ;  and  if  I  only  re- 
mained where  I  was,  they  would  save  me  the  trouble 
of  stalking  in  upon  them.  I  lay  down  behind  a  bush, 
and  waited. 

"  I  had  not  very  long  to  wait.  In  less  than  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  foremost  of  the  herd  drew 
near,  and  in  five  minutes  more  a  score  of  them  were 
within  shot. 

"  I  did  not  fire  for  some  time.  I  knew  they  would 
come  still  nearer,  and  I  lay  watching  the  motions 
of  those  pretty  creatures.  I  took  notice  of  their 
light,  handsome  forms,  their  smooth,  slender  limbs, 
their  cinnamon-colored  backs,  and  white  bellies,  with 
the  band  of  chestnut  along  each  side.  I  looked  at 
the  lyre-shaped  horns  of  the  bucks,  and  above  all  at 
the  singular  flaps  on  their  croup,  that  unfolded  each 
time  that  they  leaped  up,  displaying  a  profusion  of 
long,  silky  hair,  as  white  as  snow  itself. 

"  All  these  points  I  noticed,  and  at  length,  tired 
of  admiring  them,  I  singled  out  a  fine-looking  doe  — 
for  I  was  thinking  of  my  dinner,  and  knew  that  doe- 
venison  was  the  most  palatable. 

"  After  aiming  carefully,  I  fired.  The  doe  fell, 
but,  to  my  astonishment,  the  others  did  not  fly  off. 
A  few  of  the  foremost  only  galloped  back  a  bit,  or 
bounded  up  into  the  air ;  but  they  again  set  to 
browsing,  quite  unconcerned,  and  the  main  body 
advanced  as  before. 


THE   TREK-BOKEN. 

"  I  loaded  as  quickly  as  I  could,  and  brought 
down  another, —  this  time  a  buck,  but,  as  before, 
without  frightening  the  rest. 

"  I  proceeded  to  load  for  the  third  time  ;  but, 
before  I  had  finished,  the  front  ranks  had  passed  on 
both  sides  of  me,  and  I  found  myself  in  the  midst 
of  the  herd. 

"  I  saw  no  need  for  covering  myself  any  longer 
behind  the-  bush,  but  rose  to  my  knees,  and,  firing 
at  the  nearest,  brought  it  down  also.  Its  comrades 
did  not  pause,  but  ran  over  its  body  in  thousands. 

"  I  loaded  again,  and  stood  right  up  on  my  feet. 

"  Now  for  the  first  time  it  occurred  to  me  to  re- 
flect on  the  strange  conduct  of  the  springboks  ;  for, 
instead  of  making  off  at  my  appearance,  they  only 
bounded  a  little  to  one  side,  and  then  kept  on  their 
course.  They  seemed  possessed  by  some  species  of 
infatuation.  I  remembered  hearing  that  such  was 
their  way  when  upon  one  of  their  migrations,  or 
'  trek-bokens.'  This,  then,  thought  I,  must  be  a 
'  trek-boken.' 

"  I  was  soon  convinced  of  this,  for  the  herd  every 
moment  grew  thicker  and  thicker  around  me,  until 
at  length  they  became  so  crowded  that  I  began  to 
feel  very  singularly  situated.  Not  that  I  was  afraid 
of  the  creatures,  as  they  made  no  demonstration  of 
using  their  horns  upon  me.  On  the  contrary,  they 
did  all  they  could  to  get  out  of  my  way.  But  the 
nearest  only  were  alarmed ;  and,  as  my  presence  in 
no  way  terrified  those  that  were  a  hundred  yards  off, 
the  latter  made  no  attempt  to  give  ground.  Of  course 
the  nearest  ones  could  only  get  a  few  paces  from  me, 
7 


98  THE   TREK-BOKEN. 

by  pushing  the  others  closer,  or  springing  up  over 
their  backs — so  that  with  the  ones  thus  constantly 
bounding  up  into  the  air  there  was  all  the  time  a 
ring  around  me  two  deep. 

"  I  cannot  describe  the  strange  feelings  I  had  in 
this  unusual  situation,  or  how  long  I  might  have 
kept  my  place.  Perhaps  I  might  have  loaded  and 
fired  away  for  some  time,  but  just  at  the  moment  the 
sheep  came  into  my  mind. 

"  They  '11  be  carried  away,  thought  I.  I  had  heard 
that  such  a  thing  was  common  enough. 

"  I  saw  that  the  antelopes  were  heading  towards 
the  valley  ;  the  foremost  were  already  into  it,  and 
would  soon  be  on  the  spot  where  I  had  just  seen 
our  little  flock  feeding. 

"  In  the  hopes  of  yet  heading  the  springboks,  and 
driving  the  sheep  into  the  kraal,  before  the  former 
crowded  on  them,  I  started  towards  the  valley. 
But,  to  my  chagrin,  I  could  get  no  faster  than  the 
herd  was  going. 

"As  I  approached  the  creatures,  to  make  my  way 
through  their  mass,  they  leaped  about  and  sprang 
over  one  another,  but  could  not  for  their  lives  open 
a  way  for  me  as  fast  as  I  wanted  one.  I  was  so 
near  some  of  them  that  I  could  have  knocked  them 
down  with  my  gun. 

"  I  commenced  hallooing,  and,  brandishing  the 
gun  about,  I  was  making  a  lane  more  rapidly,  when 
I  perceived  in  front  what  appeared  to  be  a  large 
open  space.  I  pushed  forward  for  this,  but  the 
nearer  I  came  to  its  border  the  more  densely  I  found 
the  creatures  packed.  I  could  only  see  that  it  was 


THE    TREK-BORE*.  99 

an  open  space  by  leaping  up.  I  did  not  know  what 
was  causing  it.  I  did  not  stay  to*reflect.  I  only 
wished  to  get  forward  as  rapidly  as  possible,  think- 
ing about  our  flock. 

"  I  continued  to  clear  my  way,  and  at  length 
found  myself  in  the  position  I  had  coveted  ;  while 
the  lane  I  had  made  in  getting  there  closed  instan- 
taneously behind  me.  I  was  about  to  rush  on  and 
take  advantage  of  the  bit  of  clear  ground,  when 
what  should  I  see  in  the  centre,  and  directly  before 
me,  but  a  great  yellow  lion  I 

"  That  accounted  for  the  break  in  the  herd.  Had 
I  known  what  had  been  causing  it,  I  should  have 
fought  my  way  in  any  other  direction  but  that ;  but 
there  was  I,  out  in  the  open  ground,  the  lion  not  ten 
paces  from  me,  and  a  fence  of  springboks  two  deep 
around  both  of  us  I 

"  I  need  not  say  I  was  frightened,  and  badly  too. 
I  did  not  for  some  moments  know  how  to  act.  My 
gun  was  still  loaded  —  for,  after  thinking  of  saving 
our  little  flock,  I  did  not  care  to  empty  it  at  the 
antelopes.  I  could  get  one,  thought  I,  at  any  time, 
when  I  had  secured  the  sheep  in  the  kraal.  The 
piece,  therefore,  was  loaded,  and  with  bullets. 

"  Should  I  take  aim  at  the  lion,  and  fire  ?  I  asked 
myself  this  question,  and  was  just  on  the  point  of 
deciding  in  the  affirmative,  when  I  reflected  that  it 
would  be  imprudent.  I  observed  that  the  lion, 
whose  back  was  turned  to  me,  had  either  not  seen, 
or  as  yet  took  no  notice  of  me.  Should  I  only 
wound  him, —  and  from  the  position  he  was  in  I  was 


100 


THE   TREK-BOKEN. 


not  likely  do  more, —  how  then  ?    I  would  most 
likely  be  torn  to*pieces. 

"  These  were  my  reflections,  all  of  which  scarce 
occupied  a  second  of  time.  I  was  about  to  '  back 
out '  or  back  in  among  the  springboks,  and  make  my 
way  in  some  other  direction,  and  had  even  got  near 
the  edge,  when,  in  looking  over  my  shoulder,  I  saw 
the  lion  suddenly  halt  and  turn  round.  I  halted  too, 
knowing  that  to  be  the  safest  plan  ;  and,  as  I  did  so, 
I  glanced  back  at  the  lion's  eyes. 

"  To  my  relief,  I  saw  they  were  not  upon  me.  He 
seemed  to  have  taken  some  fancy  in  his  head.  His 
appetite,  perhaps,  had  returned  ;  for  the  next  mo- 
ment he  ran  a  few  yards,  and  then,  rising  with  a 
terrific  bound,  launched  himself  far  into  the  herd, 
and  came  down  right  upon  the  back  of  one  of  the 
antelopes.  The  others  sprang  right  and  left,  and  a 
new  spac.e  was  soon  opened  around  him. 

"  He  was  now  nearer  than  ever  to  where  I  stood, 
and  I  could  see  him  distinctly  crouched  over  his 
victim.  His  claws  held  its  quivering  body,  and  his 
long  teeth  grasped  the  poor  creature  by  the  neck. 
But,  with  the  exception  of  his  tail,  he  was  making 
not  the  slightest  motion  ;  and  that  vibrated  gently 
from  side  to  side,  just  as  a  kitten  that  had  caught  a 
tiny  mouse.  I  could  see,  too,  that  his  eyes  were 
close  shut,  as  though  he  were  asleep. 

"  Now,  I  had  heard  that  under  such  circumstances 
the  lion  may  be  approached  without  much  danger. 
Not  that  I  wished  to  go  any  nearer, —  for  I  was 
near  enough  for  .my  gun, —  but  it  was  this  recollec- 
tion, I  believe,  that  put  me  in  the  notion  of  firing. 


THE 

At  all   events,   something  whispered  me   I  would 
succeed,  and  I  could  not  resist  trying. 

"  The  broad  blind  jaw  of  the  brute  was  fair  before 
me.  I  took  aim,  and  pulled  trigger  ;  but,  instead  of 
waiting  to  see  the  effect  of  my  shot,  I  ran  right  off 
in  an  opposite  direction. 

"  I  did  not  halt  till  I  had  put  several  acres  of 
antelopes  between  myself  and  the  place  where  I  had 
last  stood  ;  and  then  I  made  the  best  of  my  way 
to  the  wagon. 

"Long  before  I  had  reached  it,  I  could  see  that 
Jan,  and  Triiey,  and  Totty,  were  safe  under  the  tent. 
That  gave  me  pleasure,  but  I  also  saw  that  the 
sheep  and  goats  had  got  mixed  up  with  the  spring- 
boks, and  were  moving  off  with  them  as  if  they 
belonged  to  the  same  species.  I  fear  they  are  all 
lost."  t 

"  And  the  lion  ?  "  inquired  Hendrik. 

"Yonder  he  lies,"  answered  Hans,  modestly 
pointing  to  a  yellow  mass  out  upon  the  plain,  over 
which  the  vultures  were  already  beginning  to  hover. 
"  Yonder  he  lies  ;  you  could  hardly  have  done  it 
better  yourself,  brother  Hendrik." 

As  Hans  said  this,  he  smiled  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  show  that  he  had  no  idea  of  making  a  boast  of 
his  achievements. 

Hendrik  was  loud  in  acknowledging  that  it  was  a 
most  splendid  feat,  and  also  in  regretting  that  he  had 
not  been  on  the  ground  to  witness  the  wonderful 
migration  of  the  springboks. 

But  there  was  no  time  for  much  idle  talk.  Von 
Bloom  and  his  party  were  in  a  very  unpleasant 


.  '*.' 
,10.2.  ;      THF/1TREK-BOKEN. 

situation. .  His  flocks  were  all  gone.  The  cow  and 
horses  alone  remained  ;  and  for  these  not  a  blade 
of  grass  had  been  left  by  the  antelopes.  Upon  what 
were  they  to  be  fed  ? 

To  follow  the  spoor  of  the  migratory  springboks 
with  the  hope  of  recovering  their  flock,  would  be 
quite  useless.  Swartboy  assured  them  of  this.  The 
poor  animals  might  be  carried  hundreds  of  miles 
before  they  could  separate  themselves  from  the  great 
herd,  or  bring  their  involuntary  journey  to  an  end. 

The  horses  could  travel  but  little  further.  There 
was  naught  to  feed  them  on  but  the  leaves  of  the 
mimosas,  and  this  was  but  poor  food  for  hungry 
horses.  It  would  be  fortunate  if  they  could  be  kept 
alive  until  they  should  reach  some  pasture  ;  and 
where  now  was  pasture  to  be  found  ?  Locusts  and 
antelopes,  between  them,  seemed  to  have  turned  all 
Africa  into  a  desert. 

The  field-cornet  soon  formed  his  resolution.  He 
would  remain  there  for  the  night,  and  early  on  the 
morrow  set  out  in  search  of  some  other  spring. 

Fortunately  Hans  had  not  neglected  to  secure  a 
brace  of  the  springboks,  and  their  fat  venison  now 
came  into  general  use.  A  roast  of  that,  and  a  drink 
of  cool  water  from  the  spring,  soon  refreshed  the 
three  wearied  travellers. 

The  horses  were  let  loose  among  the  mimosa-trees, 
and  allowed  to  shift  for  themselves  ;  and  although 
under  ordinary  circumstances  they  would  have 
"  turned  up  their  noses  "  at  such  food  as  mimosa- 
leaves,  they  now  turned  them  up  in  a  different 


THE    TREK-BOKEN.  103 

sense,  and  cleared  the  thorny  branches  like  so  many 
giraffes. 

Some  naturalist  of  the  "  Buffon  "  school  has  stated 
that  neither  wolf,  fox,  hyena,  nor  jackal,  will  eat  the 
carcass  of  a  lion, —  that  their  fear  of  the  royal  despot 
continues  even  after  his  death. 

The  field-cornet  and  his  family  had  proof  of  the 
want  of  truth  in  this  assertion.  Before  many  hours 
both  jackals  and  hyenas  attacked  the  carcass  of  the 
king  of  beasts,  and  in  a  very  short  while  there  was 
not  a  morsel  of  him  there  but  his  bones.  Even  his 
tawny  skin  was  swallowed  by  these  ravenous  creat- 
ures, and  many  of  the  bones  broken  by  the  strong 
jaws  of  the  hyenas.  The  respect  which  these  brutes 
entertain  for  the  lion  ends  with  his  life.  When  dead, 
he  is  eaten  by  them  with  as  much  audacity  as  if  he 
were  the  meanest  of  animals. 


104  SPOORING    FOR    A    SPRING. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

SPOORING   FOR   A    SPRING. 

VON  BLOOM  was  in  the  saddle  at  an  early  hour. 
Swartboy  accompanied  him,  while  all  the  others 
remained  by  the  wagon  to  await  his  return.  They 
took  with  them  the  two  horses  that  had  remained  by 
fhe  wagon,  as  these  were  fresher  than  the  others. 

They  rode  nearly  due  westward.  They  were 
induced  to  take  this  direction  by  observing  that  the 
springboks  had  come  from  the  north.  *  By  heading 
westward  they  believed  they  would  sooner  get  be- 
yond the  wasted  territory. 

To  their  great  satisfaction,  an  hour's  travelling 
carried  them  clear  of  the  track  of  the  antelope  mi- 
gration ;  and  although  they  found  no  water,  there 
was  excellent  grass. 

The  field-cornet  now  sent  Swartboy  back  for  the 
other  horses  and  the  cow,  pointing  out  a  place  where 
he  should  bring  them  to  graze,  while  he  himself 
continued  on  in  search  of  water. 

After  travelling  some  miles  further,  Von  Bloom 
perceived  to  the  north  of  him  a  long  line  of  cliff 
rising  directly  up  from  the  plain,  and  running  west- 
ward as  far  as  he  could  see.  Thinking  that  water 
would  be  more  likely  to  be  found  near  these  cliffs, 
he  turned  his  horse's  head  towards  them.  As  he 


SPOORING    FOR   A    SPRING.  105 

approached  nearer  to  their  base,  he  was  charmed 
with  the  beautiful  scenery  that  began  to  open  before 
his  eyes.  He  passed  through  grassy  plains  of  differ- 
ent sizes,  separated  from  each  other  by  copses  of 
the  delicate-leaved  mimosa ;  some  of  these  forming 
large  thickets,  while  others  consisted  of  only  a  few 
low  bushes.  Towering  high  over  the  mimosas,  grew 
many  trees  of  gigantic  size,  and  of  a  species  Yon 
Bloom  had  never  seen  before.  They  stood  thinly 
upon  the  ground  ;  but  each,  with  its  vast  leafy  head, 
seemed  a  little  forest  of -itself. 

The  whole  country  around  had  a  soft,  park-like 
appearance,  which  contrasted  well  with  the  dark 
cliff  that  rose  beyond — the  latter  stepping  up  from 
the  plain  by  a  precipice  of  several  hundred  feet  in 
height,  and  seemingly  as  vertical  as  the  walls  of  a 
house. 

The  fine  landscape  was  gratifying  to  the  eyes  of 
the  traveller  —  such  a  fine  country  in  the  midst  of 
so  much  barrenness  ;  for  he  knew  that  most  of  the 
surrounding  region  was  little  better  than  a  wild  karoo. 
The  whole  of  it  to  the  north,  for  hundreds  of  miles, 
was  a  famous  desert, —  the  desert  of  Kalihari, —  and 
these  cliffs  were  a  part  of  its  southern  border.  The 
"  vee-boor "  would  have  been  rejoiced  at  such  a 
sight  under  other  circumstances.  But  what  to  him 
now  were  all  these  fine  pastures  —  now  that  he  was 
no  longer  able  to  stock  them  ? 

Notwithstanding  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  his 
reflections  were  painful. 

But  he  did  not  give  way  to  despair.  His  present 
troubles  were  sufficiently  grievous  to  prevent  him 


106  SPOORING    FOR    A    SPRING. 

from  dwelling  much  on  the  future.  His  first  care 
was  to  find  a  place  where  his  horses  might  be  re- 
cruited ;  for  without  them  he  could  no  longer  move 
anywhere  —  without  them  he  would  be  helpless 
indeed. 

Water  was  the  desired  object.  If  water  could 
not  be  found,  all  this  beautiful  park  through  which 
he  was  passing  would  be  as  valueless  to  him  as  the 
brown  desert. 

Surely,  so  lovely  a  landscape  could  not  exist  with- 
out that  most  essential  element. 

So  thought  the  field-cornet ;  and  at  the  turning  of 
every  new  grove  his  eyes  wandered  over  the  ground 
in  search  of  it. 

"  Ho  I  "  he  joyfully  exclaimed,  as  a  covey  of  large 
Namaqua  partridges  whirred  up  from  his  path.  "  A 
good  sign  that ;  they  are  seldom  far  from  water/' 

Shortly  after,  he  saw  a  flock  of  beautiful  pintados, 
or  Guinea-hens,  running  into  a  copse.  This  was  a 
still  further  proof  that  water  was  nigh.  But,  surest 
of  all,  on  the  top  of  a  tall  cameel-doorn  tree,  he  next 
observed  the  brilliant  plumage  of  a  parrot. 

"  Now,"  muttered  he,  to  himself,  "  I  must  be  very 
near  to  some  spring  or  pool." 

He  rode  cheerfully  forward,  and  after  a  little  while 
arrived  upon  the  crest  of  an  elevated  ridge.  Here 
he  halted  to  observe  the  flight  of  the  birds. 

Presently  he  noticed  a  covey  of  partridges  flying 
in  a  westerly  direction,  and,  shortly  after,  another 
covey  going  the  same  way.  Both  appeared  to  alight 
near  a  gigantic  tree  that  grew  in  the  plain,  about  five 
hundred  yards  from  the  bottom  of  the  cliffs.  Thia 


SPOORING    FOR   A    SPRING.  107 

tree  stood  apart  from  any  of  the  others,  and  was  by- 
far  the  largest  Von  Bloom  had  yet  seen. 

As  he  remained  gazing  at  its  wonderful  dimen- 
sions, he  observed  several  pairs  of  parrots  alighting 
upon  it.  These,  after  chattering  a  while  among  its 
branches,  flew  down  upon  the  plain  not  far  from  its 
base. 

"  Surely/'  thought  Von  Bloom,  "  there  must  be 
water  there.  I  shall  ride  forward  and  see." 

But  his  horse  had  scarcely  waited  for  him  to  form 
this  design.  The  animal  had  been  already  dragging 
upon  the  bridle,  and,  as  soon  as  his  head  was  turned 
in  the  direction  of  the  tree,  he  started  forward  with 
outstretched  neck,  snorting  as  he  rushed  along. 

The  rider,  trusting  to  the  instinct  of  his  horse,  sur- 
rendered up  the  bridle,  and  in  less  than  five  minutes 
both  horse  and  rider  were  drinking  from  the  sweet 
water  of  a  crystal  fountain  that  gushed  out  within  a 
dozen  yards  of  the  tree. 

The  field-cornet  would  now  have  hastened  back  to 
the  wagon ;  but  he  thought  that  by  allowing  his 
horse  to  browse  an  hour  or  so  upon  the  grass,  he 
would  make  the  return  journey  with  more  spirit,  and 
in  quite  as  good  time.  He  therefore  took  off  the 
bridle,  gave  the  animal  his  liberty,  while  he  stretched 
himself  under  the  shade  of  the  great  tree. 

As  he  lay,  he  could  not  help  admiring  the  wonder- 
ful production  of  nature  that  towexed  majestically 
above  him.  It  was  one  of  the  largest  trees  he  had 
ever  beheld.  It  was  of  the  kind  known  as  the 
"nwana"  tree,  a  species  of  ficus,  with  large,  syca- 
more-shaped leaves,  that  grew  thickly  over  its  mag- 


108  SPOORING    FOR    A    SPRING. 

nificent  head.  Its  trunk  was  full  twenty  feet  in 
diameter,  rising  to  more  than  that  height  without  a 
branch,  and  then  spreading  off  into  numerous  limbs, 
that  stretched  far  out  in  a  horizontal  direction. 
Through  the  thick  foliage  Yon  Bloom  could  perceive 
shining  egg-shaped  fruits,  as  large  as  cocoa-nuts ; 
and  upon  these  the  parrots  and  several  other  kinds 
of  birds  appeared  to  be  feeding. 

Other  trees  of  the  same  species  stood  out  upon  the 
plain,  at  long  distances  apart,  and,  though  they  were 
all  taller  than  the  surrounding  timber,  none  were  so 
large  or  conspicuous  as  the  one  that  grew  by  the 
spring. 

The  field-cornet,  as  he  enjoyed  the  cool  shade 
which  its  umbrageous  frondage  afforded,  could  not 
help  thinking  what  an  admirable  spot  it  would  be  to 
build  a  kraal.  The  inmates  of  a  dwelling  placed  be- 
neath its  friendly  shelter  need  never  dread  the  fierce 
rays  of  the  African  sun ;  even  the  rain  could  scarce 
penetrate  its  leafy  canopy.  In  fact,  its  dense  foliage 
almost  constituted  a  roof  of  itself. 

Had  his  cattle  still  remained  to  him,  no  doubt  the 
vee-boor  would  have  resolved  at  once  to  make  this 
spot  his  future  home.  But,  tempting  as  it  was,  what 
now  could  he  do  in  such  a  place  ?  To  him  it  would 
be  only  a  wilderness.  There  was  no  species  of  in- 
dustry he  could  follow  in  such  a  remote  quarter. 
True,  he  might  sustain  himself  and  his  family  by  hunt- 
ing. He  saw  that  game  was  plenteous  all  around. 
But  that  would  be  but  a  sorry  existence,  with  no 
promise  for  the  future.  What  would  his  children  do 
hereafter  ?  Were  they  to  grow  up  with  no  other  end 


SPOORING    FOR    A    SPRING.  109 

than  to  become  poor  hunters  —  no  better  than  the 
wild  Bushmen  ?  No,  no,  no  !  To  make  a  home  there 
would  be  out  of  the  question.  A  few  days  to  recruit 
his  wearied  horses,  and  then  he  would  make  a  strug- 
gle, and  trek  back  to  the  settlements. 

But  what  after  he  had  got  back  ?  He  knew  not 
what  then.  His  future  was  gloomy  and  uncertain. 

After  indulging  in  such  reflections  for  an  hour  or 
more,  he  bethought  him  that  it  was  time  to  return  to 
the  camp  ;  and,  having  caught  and  bridled  his  horse, 
he  mounted  and  set  forth. 

The  animal,  refreshed  by  the  sweet  grass  and  cool 
water,  carried  him  briskly  along,  and  in  less  than 
two  hours  he  came  up  with  Swartboy  and  Hendrik 
where  they  were  pasturing  the  horses. 

These  were  taken  back  to  the  wagon,  and  har- 
nessed in,  and  then  the  great  vehicle  once  more 
"treked  "  across  the  plains. 

Before  the  sun  had  set,  the  long  white  cap-tent 
was  gleaming  under  the  leafy  screen  of  the  gigantic 


110  THE    TERRIBLE   TSETSE. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE   TERRIBLE   TSETSE. 

THE  verdant  carpet  that  stretched  away  around 
them,  the  green  leaves  upon  the  trees,  the  flowers 
by  the  fountain,  the  crystal  water  in  its  bed,  the 
black  bold  rocks  towering  up  at  a  distance,  —  all 
combined  to  make  a  lovely  picture.  The  eyes  of  the 
wayfarers  were  glad  as  they  beheld  it,  and  while  the 
wagon  was  outspanning  every  one  gave  utterance 
to  their  delightful  emotions. 

The  place  seemed  to  please  every  one.  Hans 
loved  its  quiet  and  sylvan  beauty.  It  was  just  such 
a  place  as  he  would  choose  to  ramble  in,  book  in 
hand,  and  dream  away  many  a  pleasant  hour.  Hen- 
drik  liked  it  much,  because  he  had  already  observed 
what  he  termed  "extensive  spoor"  about  the  spot. 
In  other  words,  he  had  noticed  the  tracks  of  many 
of  Africa's  largest  wild  animals. 

Little  Triiey  was  delighted  to  see  so  many  beauti- 
ful flowers.  There  were  bright  scarlet  geraniums, 
and  star-like  sweet-scented  jessamines,  and  the  gor- 
geous belladonna  lily,  with  its  large  blossoms  of 
rose-color  and  white  ;  and  there  were  not  only  plants 
in  flower,  but  bushes,  and  even  trees,  covered  with 
gaudy  and  sweetly-perfumed  blossoms.  There  was 
the  "  sugar-bush  "  (Protea  mellifera},  the  most  beau- 


THE   TERRIBLE   TSETSE.  Ill 

tiful  of  its  family,  with  its  large  cup-shaped  corollas 
of  pink,  white,  and  green ;  and  there,  too,  was  the 
"  silver-tree  "  (Leucodendron  argenteum),  whose  soft 
silvery  leaves,  playing  in  the  breeze,  looked  like  a 
huge  mass  of  silken  flowers ;  and  there  were  the 
mimosas,  covered  with  blossoms  of  golden  yellow, 
that  filled  the  air  with  their  strong  and  agreeable 
perfume. 

Rare  forms  of  vegetation  were  around  or  near  at 
hand :  the  arborescent  aloes,  with  their  tall  flower- 
spikes  of  coral  red,  and  euphorbias  of  many  shapes ; 
and  zamia,  with  its  palm-like  fronds ;  and  the  soft- 
leaved  Strelitzia  regince.  All  these  were  observed  in 
the  neighborhood  of  this  new-discovered  fountain. 

But  what  received  little  Truey's  admiration  more 
than  any  other  was  the  beautiful  blue  water-lily 
(Nymplia  coerulea),  which  is  certainly  one  of  the 
loveliest  of  Africa's  flowers.  Close  by  the  spring, 
but  a  little  further  in  the  direction  of  the  plain,  was  a 
vley,  or  pool, — in  fact,  it  might  have  been  termed 
a  small  lake,  —  and  upon  the  quiet  bosom  of  its  water 
the  sky-blue  corollas  lay  sleeping  in  all  their  gor- 
geous beauty. 

Triiey,  leading  her  little  pet  in  a  string,  had  gone 
down  on  the  bank  to  look  at  them.  She  thought  she 
could  never  cease  gazing  at  such  pretty  things. 

"  I  hope  papa  will  stay  here  a  long  time,"  she  said 
to  her  companion,  little  Jan. 

"  And  I  hope  so,  too.  0,  Triiey,  what  a  fine  tree 
yon  is  !  Look  !  nuts  as  big  as  my  head,  I  declare  1 
Bless  me,  sis !  how  are  we  to  knock  some  of  them 
down  ?  " 


112  THE    TERRIBLE    TSETSE. 

And  so  the  children  conversed,  both  delighted  with 
the  new  scenes  around  them. 

Although  all  the  young  people  were  inclined  to  be 
happy,  yet  they  were  checked  in  their  expression  of 
it  by  observing  that  there  was  a  cloud  on  the  brow 
of  their  father.  He  had  seated  himself  under  the 
great  t^pe,  but  his  eyes  were  upon  the  ground,  as 
though  he  were  busy  with  painful  reflections.  All 
of  them  noticed  this. 

His  reflections  were  indeed  painful ;  they  could 
not  well  have  been  otherwise.  There  was  but  one 
course  left  for  him,  —  to  return  to  the  settlements, 
and  begin  life  anew.  But  how  to  begin  it  ?  What 
could  he  do  ?  His  property  all  gone,  he  could  only 
serve  some  of  his  richer  neighbors ;  and,  for  one 
accustomed  all  his  life  to  independence,  this  would 
be  hard  indeed. 

He  looked  towards  his  five  horses,  now  eagerly 
cropping  the  luxuriant  grass  that  grew  under  the 
shadow  of  the  cliffs.  When  would  they  be  ready  to 
trek  back  again  ?  In  three  or  four  days  he  might 
start.  Fine  animals  most  of  them  were  j  they  would 
carry  the  wagon  lightly  enough. 

So  ran  the  reflections  of  the  field-cornet.  He  little 
thought  at  the  moment  that  those  horses  would 
never  draw  wagon  more,  nor  any  other  vehicle ! 
He  little  thought  that  those  five  noble  brutes  were 
doomed ! 

Yet  so  it  was.  In  less  than  a  week  from  that  time 
the  jackals  and  hyenas  were  quarrelling  over  their 
bones.  Even  at  that  very  moment,  while  he  watched 
them  browsing,  the  poison  was  entering  their  veins, 


THE   TERRIBLE    TSETSE.  113 

and  their  death-wounds  were  being  inflicted.  Alas  1 
alas  I  another  blow  awaited  Von  Bloom. 

The  field-cornet  had  noticed,  now  and  again,  that 
the  horses  seemed  uneasy  as  they  fed.  At  times 
they  started  suddenly,  whisked  their  long  tails,  and 
rubbed  their  heads  against  the  bushes. 

"  Some  fly  is  troubling  them,"  thought  he,  and 
had  no  more  uneasiness  about  the  matter. 

It  was  just  that — just  a  fly  that  was  troubling 
them.  Had  Von  Bloom  known  what  that  fly  was,  he 
would  have  felt  a  very  different  concern  about  his 
horses.  Had  he  known  the  nature  of  that  little  fly, 
he  would  have  rushed  up  with  all  his  boys,  caught 
the  horses  in  the  greatest  hurry,  and  led  them  far 
away  from  those  dark  cliffs.  But  he  knew  not  the 
"tsetse"  fly. 

It  still  wanted  some  minutes  of  sunset,  and  the 
horses  were  permitted  to  browse  freely  ;  but  Von 
Bloom  observed  that  they  were  every  moment  get- 
ting more  excited,  now  striking  their  hoofs  upon  the 
turf,  now  running  a  length  or  two,  and  at  intervals 
snorting  angrily.  At  the  distance  they  were  off,  — 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  so,  —  Von  Bloom  could  see 
nothing  of  what  was  disturbing  them  ;  but  their  odd 
behavior  at  length  induced  him  to  walk  up  to  where 
they  were.  Hans  and  Hendrikwent  along  with  him. 

When  they  arrived  near  the  spot,  they  were  as- 
tonished at  what  they  then  beheld.  Each  horse 
seemed  to  be  encompassed  by  a  swarm  of  bees. 

They  saw,  however,  they  were  not  bees,  but  in- 
sects somewhat  smaller,  of  a  brown  color,  resembling 
gad-flies,  and  exceedingly  active  in  their  flight. 
8 


114  THE   TERRIBLE    TSETSE. 

Thousands  of  them  hovered  above  each  horse,  and 
hundreds  could  be  seen  lighting  upon  the  heads, 
necks,  bodies,  and  legs,  of  the  animals, — 'in  fact,  all 
over  them.  They  were  evidently  either  biting  or 
stinging  them.  No  wonder  the  poor  brutes  were 
annoyed  I 

Yon  Bloom  suggested  that  they  should  drive  the 
horses  further  out  into  the  plain,  where  these  flies 
did  not  seem  to  haunt.  He  was  only  concerned 
about  the  annoyance  which  the  horses  received  from 
them.  Hendrik  also  pitied  their  sufferings ;  but 
Hans  alone,  of  all  the  three,  guessed  at  the  truth. 
He  had  read  of  a  fatal  insect  that  frequented  some 
districts  in  the  interior  of  South  Africa,  and  the  first 
sight  of  these  flies  aroused  his  suspicions  that  it 
might  be  they. 

He  communicated  his  thoughts  to  the  others,  who 
at  once  shared  his  alarm. 

"  Call  Swartboy  hither  !  "  said  Yon  Bloom. 

The  Bushman  was  called,  and  soon  made  his  ap- 
pearance, coming  up  from  the  spring.  He  had  for 
the  last  hour  been  engaged  in  unpacking  the  wagon, 
and  had  taken  no  notice  of  the  horses  or  the  interest 
they  were  exciting. 

As  soon,  however,  as  he  got  near,  and  saw  the 
winged  swarm  whirring  around  the  horses,  his  small 
eyes  opened  to  their  widest  extent,  his  thick  lips  fell, 
and  his  whole  face  yielded  itself  to  an  expression  of 
amazement  and  alarm. 

"  What  is  it,  Swart  ?  "  inquired  his  master. 

"  Mein  baas  I  mein  baas  !  der  duyvel  um  da  —  dar 
ekellum  is  da  '  tsetse  M  " 


THE   TERRIBLE   TSETSE.  115 

"  And  what  if  it  be  the  tsetse  ?  " 

"  Mem  Gott !  all  dead  —  dead  —  ebery  horse  !  " 

Swartboy  then  proceeded  to  explain,  with  a  loud 
and  continuous  "  clicking,"  that  the  fly  which  they 
saw  was  fatal  in  its  bite  ;  that  the  horses  would  surely 
die,  sooner  or  later,  according  to  the  number^ of 
stings  they  had  already  received ;  but,  from  the 
swarm  of  insects  around  them,  the  Bushman  had  no 
doubt  they  had  been  badly  stung,  and  a  single  week 
would  see  all  five  of  the  horses  dead. 

"  Wait,  mein  baas  ;  morrow  show." 

And  to-morrow  did  show ;  for  before  twelve  o'clock 
on  the  next  day  the  horses  were  swollen  all  over 
their  bodies  and  about  their  heads.  Their  eyes  were 
quite  closed  up  ;  they  refused  any  longer  to  eat,  but 
staggered  blindly  among  the  luxuriant  grass,  every 
now  and  then  expressing  the  pain  they  felt  by  a  low, 
melancholy  whimpering.  It  was  plain  to  every  one 
they  were  going  to  die. 

Von  Bloom  tried  bleeding,  and  various  other  rem- 
edies ;  but  to  no  purpose.  There  is  no  cure  for  the 
bite  of  the  tsetse  fly. 


116  THE   LONG-HORNED   RHINOCEROS. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE   LONG-HORNED   RHINOCEROS. 

GREAT  indeed  was  now  the  affliction  of  the  field- 
cornet.  Fortune  seemed  to  be  adverse  in  everything. 
Step  by  step  he  had  been  sinking  for  years,  every 
year  becoming  poorer  in  worldly  wealth.  He  had 
now  reached  the  lowest  point  —  poverty  itself.  He 
owned  nothing  whatever.  His  horses  might  be  re-_ 
garded  as  dead.  The  cow  had  escaped  from  the 
tsetse  by  avoiding  the  cliffs,  and  keeping  out  upon 
the  plain  ;  and  this  animal  now  constituted  his  whole 
live-stock  —  his  whole  property!  True,  he  still  had 
his  fine  wagon  ;  but  of  what  use  would  that  be  with- 
out either  oxen  or  horses?  —  A  wagon  without  a 
team  !  Better  a  team  without  a  wagon. 

What  could  he  do  ?  How  was  he  to  escape  from 
the  position  he  was  placed  in  ?  To  say  the  least,  it 
was  an  awkward  one,  —  nearly  two  hundred  miles 
from  any  civilized  settlement,  and  no  means  of  get- 
ting there  —  no  means  except  by  walking  ;  and  how 
were  his  children  to  walk  two  hundred  miles  ?  Im- 
possible I 

Across  desert  tracts,  exposed  not  only  to  terrible 
fatigue,  but  to  hunger,  thirst,  and  fierce  carnivorous 
animals ;  —  it  appeared  impossible  that  they  could  ac- 
complish such  a  task. 


THE    LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS.  117 

And  what  else  was  there  to  be  done  ?  asked  the 
field-cornet  of  himself.  Were  they  to  remain  there 
all  their  lives,  subsisting  precariously  on  game  and 
roots  ?  -Were  his  children  to  become  "  Bush-boys/' 
—  himself  a  Bushman  ? 

With  these  reflections  passing  through  his  mind, 
no  wonder  that  Von  Bloom  felt  deeply  afflicted. 

'•'  Merciful  Heaven  !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  sat  with 
his  head  between  his  hands,  "  what  will  become  of 
me  and  mine  ?  " 

Poor  Von  Bloom  !  he  had  reached  the  lowest  point 
of  his  fortunes. 

He  had,  in  reality,  reached  the  lowest  point ;  for  on 
that  very  day,  even  within  that  very  hour,  an  inci- 
dent occurred  that  not  only  gave  relief  to  his  afflicted 
spirit,  but  that  promised  to  lay  the  foundation  of 
future  wealth  and  prosperity.  In  one  hour  from  that 
time  the  prospects  of  the  field-cornet  had  undergone 
a  complete  change  ;  in  one  hour  from  that  time  he 
was  a  happy  man,  and  all  around  him  were  as  happy 
as  he  ! 

You  are  impatient  to  hear  how  this  change  was 
effected  ?  What  little  fairy  had  sprung  out  of  the 
spring,  or  come  down  from  the  cliffs,  to  befriend  the 
good  field-cornet  in  his  hour  of  misery  ?  You  are 
impatient  to  hear  ?  Then  you  shall  hear. 

The  sun  was  just  going  down.  They  were  all 
seated  under  the  great  tree,  and  near  a  fire,  upon 
which  they  had  cooked  their  supper.  There  was  no 
talking,  no  cheerful  conversation,  —  for  the  children 
saw  that  their  father  was  in  trouble,  and  that  kept 


118  THE   LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS. 

them  silent.  Not  a  word  passed  between  them,  or 
only  an  occasional  whisper. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  Von  Bloom  gave  utter- 
ance to  his  sad  thoughts  in  words  as  above. 

As  if  seeking  for  an  answer,  his  eyes  were  raised 
to  heaven,  and  then  wandered  around  the  plain.  All 
at  once  they  became  fixed  upon  a  singular  object  that 
appeared  at  some  distance  off,  and  was  just  emerging 
from  the  bushes. 

It  was  an  animal  of  some  kind,  and  from  its  vast  size 
Yon  Bloom  and  the  others  at  first  took  it  to  be  an  ele- 
phant. None  of  them,  except  Swartboy,  were  accus- 
tomed to  elephants  in  their  wild  state  ;  for,  although 
these  animals  once  inhabited  the  most  southerly  por- 
tions of  Africa,  they  have  long  since  deserted  the 
settled  districts,  and  are  now  only  to  be  found  far 
beyond  the  frontier  of  the  colony.  But  they  knew 
that  there  were  elephants  in  these  parts,  as  they  had 
already  observed  their  tracks,  and  all  now  supposed 
the  huge  creature  that  was  approaching  must  be  one. 

Not  all ;  Swartboy  was  an  exception.  As  soon  as 
his  eyes  fell  upon  the  animal,  he  cried  out, 

"  Chukuroo  —  a  chukuroo  !  " 

"  A  rhinoster,  is  it  ?  "  said  Von  Bloom,  knowing 
that  "  chukuroo  "  was  the  native  name  for  the  rhi- 
noceros, or  "rhinoster,"  as  he  called  it  in  Dutch. 

"Ya,  baas,'7  replied  Swartboy;  "and  one  o'  da 
big  karles  —  da  '  kobaoba,'  da  long-horn  white  rhi- 
noster." 

What  Swartboy  meant  by  this  was  that  the  animal 
in  question  was  a  large  species  of  rhinoceros,  known 
among  the  natives  as  the  "kobaoba." 


THE  LONG-HORNED  RHINOCEROS.          119 

Now,  I  dare  say,  young  reader,  you  have  been  all 
your  life  under  the  impression  that  there  was  but  one 
species  of  rhinoceros  in  the  world  —  that  is,  the 
rhinoceros.  Is  it  not  so?  Yes. 

Well,  permit  me  to  inform  you  that  you  have  been 
under  a  wrong  impression.  There  are  quite  a  num- 
ber of  distinct  species  of  this  very  singular  animal. 
At  least  eight  distinct  kinds  I  know  of;  and  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  when  the  central  parts  of  Africa 
have  been  fully  explored,  as  well  as  South  Asia  and 
the  Asiatic  islands,  nearly  half  as  many  more  will  be 
found  to  exist. 

In  South  Africa  four  distinct  species  are  well 
known ;  one  in  North  Africa  differs  from  all  these  ; 
while  the  large  Indian  rhinoceros  bears  but  slight 
resemblance  to  any  of  them.  A  distinct  species 
from  any  is  the  rhinoceros  of  Sumatra,  an  inhabitant 
of  that  island  ;  and  still  another  is  the  Java  rhinoce- 
ros, found  on  the  island  of  Java.  Thus  we  have  no 
less  than  eight  kinds,  all  specifically  differing  from 
one  another. 

The  best  known  in  museums,  zoological  collec- 
tions, and  pictures,  is  perhaps  the  Indian  animal.  It 
is  the  one  marked  by  the  singular  foldings  of  its 
skin,  thickly  embellished  with  protuberances  or 
knobs,  that  give  it  a  shield-like  appearance.  This 
distinguishes  it  from  the  African  species,  all  of  which 
are  without  these  knobs,  though  the  hides  of  some 
are  knotty  or  warty.  The  Abyssinian  rhinoceros  has 
also  foldings  of  the  skin,  which  approach  it  some- 
what to  the  character  of  the  Indian  species.  Both 
the  Sumatra  and  Java  kinds  are  small  compared  with 


120  THE    LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS. 

their  huge  cousin  the  Indian  rhinoceros,  which  in- 
habits only  continental  India,  Siam,  and  Cochin 
China. 

The  Javan  species  more  resembles  the  Indian,  in 
having  scutellae  over  the  skin,  and  being  one-horned. 
It  is,  however,  without  the  singular  folds  which 
characterize  the  latter.  That  of  Sumatra  has  neither 
folds  nor  scutellse.  Its  skin  has  a  slight  covering  of 
hair,  and  a  pair  of  horns  gives  it  some  resemblance 
to  the  two-horned  species  of  Africa. 

The  natives  of  South  Africa  are  acquainted  with 
four  distinct  species  of  rhinoceros,  to  which  they 
give  distinct  names  ;  and  it  may  be  remarked  that 
this  observation  of  species  by  native  hunters  is  far 
more  to  be  depended  upon  than  the  speculations  of 
mere  closet-naturalists,  who  draw  their  deductions 
from  a  tubercle,  or  the  tooth,  or  a  stuffed  skin.  If 
there  be  any  value  in  a  knowledge  of  animated  na- 
ture, it  is  not  to  these  we  are  indebted  for  that 
knowledge,  but  far  oftener  to  the  "  rude  hunters  " 
whom  they  affect  to  despise,  and  who,  after  all,  have 
taught  us  pretty  much  all  we  know  of  the  habits  of 
animals.  Such  a  "rude  hunter'7  as  Gordon  Gum- 
ming, for  example,  has  done  more  to  increase  the 
knowledge  of  African  zoology  than  a  whole  college 
full  of  "speculating"  savans. 

This  same  Gordon  Gumming,  who  has  been  accused 
of  exaggeration  (but  in  my  opinion  very  wrongfully 
accused),  has  written  a  very  modest  and  truthful 
book,  which  tells  you  that  there  are  four  kinds  of 
rhinoceros  in  Southern  Africa  ;  and  no  man  is  likely 
to  know  better  than  he. 


THE   LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS.  121 

These  four  kinds  are  known  among  the  natives  as 
the  "borele,"  the  "keitloa,"  the  "  muehocho,"  and 
"  kobaoba."  The  two  first  are  "  black  rhinoceroses," 
—  that  is,  the  general  color  of  their  skin  is  dark,  — 
while  the  "muehocho"  and  "kobaoba"  are  white 
varieties,  having  the  skin  of  a  dingy- whitish  hue. 
The  black  rhinoceroses  are  much  smaller,  —  scarce 
half  the  size  of  the  others,  —  and  they  differ  from  them 
in  the  length  and  set  of  their  horns,  as  well  as  in 
other  particulars. 

The  horns  of  the  "  borele  "  are  placed,  as  in  all 
rhinoceroses,  upon  a  bony  mass  over  the  nostrils ; 
hence  the  word  "rhinoceros  (g»V,  the  nose  x-e'gas,  a 
horn). 

In  the  "  borele  "  they  stand  erect,  curving  slightly 
backwards,  and  one  behind  the  other.  The  anterior 
horn  is  the  longer,  rarely  above  eighteen  inches  in 
length ;  but  it  is  often  broken  or  rubbed  shorter,  and 
in  no  two  individuals  is  there  equality  in  this  respect. 
The  posterior  horn  in  this  species  is  only  a  sort  of 
knob;  whereas  in  the  "keitloa,"  or  two-horned 
black  rhinoceros,  both  horns  are  developed  to  a  nearly 
equal  length. 

In  the  "muehocho"  and  "  kobaoba "  the  after 
horns  can  hardly  be  said  to  exist,  but  the  anterior 
one  in  both  species  far  exceeds  in  length  those  of 
the  borele  and  keitloa.  In  the  muehocho  it  is  fre- 
quently three  feet  in  length  ;  while  the  kobaoba  is 
often  seen  with  a  horn  four  feet  long  jutting  out 
from  the  end  of  its  ugly  snout  —  a  fearful  weapon  ! 

The  horns  of  the  last  two  do  not  curve  back,  but 
point  forward ;  and  as  both  these  carry  their  heads 


122  THE    LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS. 

low  down,  the  long,  sharp  spike  is  often  borne  hori- 
zontally. In  the  form  and  length  of  their  neck,  the 
set  of  their  ears,  and  other  respects,  the  black  rhi- 
noceroses differ  materially  from  the  white  ones.  In 
fact,  their  habits  are  quite  unlike.  The  former  feed 
chiefly  on  the  leaves  and  twigs  of  thorns,  such  as  the 
Acacia  horrida,  or  "  wait-a-bits,"  while  the  latter  live 
upon  grass.  The  former  are  of  fiercer  disposition  — 
will  attack  man  or  any  other  animal  on  sight,  and 
even  sometimes  seem  to  grow  angry  with  the  bushes, 
charging  upon  them,  and  breaking  them  to  pieces. 

The  white  rhinoceroses,  although  fierce  enough 
when  wounded  or  provoked,  are  usually  of  pacific 
disposition,  and  will  permit  the  hunter  to  pass  with- 
out molestation. 

These  become  very  fat,  and  make  excellent  eating. 
The  flesh  of  no  African  animal  is  esteemed  superior 
to  the  calf  of  the  white  rhinoceros  ;  whereas  the  black 
varieties  never  grow  fat,  and  their  flesh  is  tough  and 
unpalatable. 

The  horns  of  all  four  are  used  by  the  natives  for 
many  purposes,  being  solid,  of  fine  texture,  and  sus- 
ceptible of  a  high  polish.  Out  of  the  longer  horns 
the  natives  manufacture  "  knob-kerries  "  (clubs),  and 
loading-rods  for  their  guns.  The  shorter  ones  afford 
material  for  mallets,  drinking-cups,  handles  for  small 
tools,  and  the  like.  In  Abyssinia,  and  other  parts 
of  Northern  Africa,  where  swords  are  in  use,  sword- 
hilts  are  made  from  the  horns  of  the  rhinoceros. 

The  hide  is  also  used  for  different  purposes  ;  among 
others,  for  making  the  whips  known  as  "jamboks," 
though  hippopotamus-hide  is  superior. 


THE    LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS.  123 

The  skin  of  the  African  rhinoceros,  as  already 
stated,  is  without  the  plaits, 'folds,  and  scutellas,  that 
characterize  its  Asiatic  congener  ;  yet  it  is  far  from 
being  a  soft  one.  It  is  so  thick  and  difficult  to 
pierce,  that  a  bullet  of  ordinary  lead  will  sometimes 
flatten  upon  it.  To  insure  its  penetrating,  the  lead 
must  be  hardened  with  solder. 

The  rhinoceros,  though  not  a  water  animal,  like 
the  hippopotamus,  is  nevertheless  fond  of  that  ele- 
ment, and  is  rarely  found  at  a  great  distance  from  it. 
All  four  kinds  love  to  lie  and  wallow  in  mud,  just  as 
hogs  in  a  summer's  day,  and  they  are  usually  seen 
coated  all  over  with  this  substance.  During  the  day 
they  may  be  observed  lying  down  or  standing  under 
the  shade  of  some  thick  mimosa-tree,  either  asleep 
or  in  a  state  of  easy  indolence  ;  and  it  is  during  the 
night  that  they  wander  about  in  search  of  food  and 
water.  If  approached  from  the  lee  side,  they  can 
easily  be  got  at,  as  their  small  sparkling  eyes  do  not 
serve  them  well.  On  the  contrary,  if  tha  hunter  go 
to  windward,  they  will  scent  him  at  a  great  distance, 
as  their  sense  of  smell  is  most  acute.  If  their  eyes 
were  only  as  keen  as  their  nostrils,  it  would  be  a 
dangerous  game  to  attack  them,  for  they  can  run  with 
sufficient  rapidity  to  overtake  a  horse  in  the  first 
charge. 

In  charging  and  running  the  black  variety  far 
excels  the  white.  They  are  easily  avoided,  however, 
by  the  hunter  springing  quickly  to  one  side,  and  let- 
ting them  rush  blindly  on. 

The  black  rhinoceros  is  about  six  feet  high  at  the 
shoulder,  and  full  thirteen  in  length  ;  while  the  white 


124  THE   LONG-HORNED    RHINOCEROS. 

kinds  are  far  larger.  The  "kobaoba"  is  full  seven 
feet  high,  and  fourteen  in  length. 

No  wonder  that  an  animal  of  these  extraordinary 
dimensions  was  at  first  sight  taken  for  the  elephant. 
In  fact,  the  kobaoba  rhinoceros  is  the  quadruped 
next  to  the  elephant  in  size,  and,  with  his  great  muz- 
zle, —  full  eighteen  inches  broad,  —  his  long,  clumsy 
head,  his  vast,  ponderous  body,  this  animal  impresses 
one  with  an  idea  of  strength  and  massive  grandeur 
as  great,  and  some  say  greater,  than  the  elephant 
himself.  He  looks,  indeed,  like  a  caricature  of  the 
elephant.  It  was  not  such  a  bad  mistake,  then, 
when  our  people  by  the  wagon  took  the  "  kobaoba  ;; 
for  the  "  mighty  elephant." 

Swartboy,  however,  set  them  all  right  by  declaring 
that  the  animal  they  saw  was  the  white  rhinoceros. 


A    HEAVY    COMBAT.  125 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

: 

A    HEAVY   COMBAT. 

WHEN  they  first  saw  the  kobaoba,  he  was,  as  stated, 
just  coming  out  of  the  thicket.  Without  halting,  he 
headed  in  the  direction  of  the  vley  already  men- 
tioned, and  kept  on  towards  it,  his  object  evidently 
being  to  reach  the  water. 

This  little  lake,  of  course,  owed  its  existence  to 
the  spring,  though  it  was  full  two  hundred  yards 
from  the  latter,  and  about  the  same  from  the  great 
tree.  In  was  nearly  circular  in  shape,  and  about  one 
hundred  yards  in  diameter,  so  that  its  superficial  area 
would  thus  be  a  little  over  two  English  acres.  It 
merited,  then,  the  name  of  "  lake,"  and  by  that  name 
the  young  people  already  called  it. 

On  its  upper  side  —  that  in  the  direction  of  the 
spring  —  its  shore  was  high,  and  in  one  or  two  places 
rocky,  and  these  rocks  ran  back  to  the  spring  along 
the  channel  of  a  little  rivulet.  On  the  west  or  outer 
side  of  the  lake  the  land  lay  lower,  and  the  water  at 
one  Qffj.two  points  lipped  up  nearly  to  the  level  of  the 
plain.  For  this  reason  it  was  that  upon  that  side 
the  bank  was  paddled  all  over  with  tracks  of  animals 
that  had  been  to  drink.  Hendrik,  the  hunter,  had 
observed  among  them  the  footprints  of  many  kinds 
he  knew  nothing  about. 


126  A    HEAVY    COMBAT. 

It  was  for  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  the  kobaoba 
was  making  —  no  doubt  with  him  an  old  and  favorite 
drinking-place. 

There  was  a  point  where  the  water  was  easier  of 
access  than  elsewhere,  —  a  little  to  one  side  of  where 
the  wash  or  waste-stream  of  the; lake  ran  out.  It 
was  a  sort  of  cove,  with  bright  sandy  beach,  and  ap- 
proachable from  the  plain  by  a  miniature  gorge,  hol- 
lowed out,  no  doubt,  by  the  long  usage  of  those 
animals  who  came  to  drink  at  the  vley.  By  enter- 
ing this  cove,  the  tallest  animals  might  get  deep 
water  and  good  bottom,  so  that  they  could  drink 
without  much  straining  or  stooping.  The  kobaoba 
came  on  in  a  direct  line  for  the  lake,  and  as  he 
drew  near  they  could  see  him  heading  for  the  gorge 
that  led  into  the  little  cove.  It  proved  he  had  been 
there  before. 

Next  moment  he  passed  through  the  gap,  and  stood 
knee-deep  in  the  water. 

After  swallowing  several  copious  draughts  —  now 
sneezing,  and  then  wheezing  —  he  plunged  his 
broad  snout,  horn  and  all,  into  the  water,  tossed  it 
till  it  foamed,  and  then,  lying  down  in  it,  commenced 
wallowing  like  a  hog. 

The  place  was  shallow,  and  most  of  his  huge  body 
was  above  the  surface,  though  there  was  deep  enough 
water  in  the  lake  to  have  given  him  a  bath  had  he 
desired  it. 

The  first  thought  of  Von  Bloom,  as  well  as  oT 
Hendrik,  was  how  to  "  circumvent"  the  rhinoceros, 
and  of  course  destroy  him.  Not  that  they  simply 
wished  his  destruction,  but  Swartboy  had  already 


A    HEAVY    COMBAT.  127 

represented  what  fine  food  the  species  was,  and  there 
was  no  stock  of  provision  in  camp.  Hendrik  had 
another  object  in  wishing  the  death  of  the  creature. 
He  wanted  a  new  loading-rod  for  his  rifle,  and  he  had 
gazed  covetously  at  the  kobaoba's  long  horn. 

But  it  was  easier  to  desire  the  death  of  the  rhinoc- 
eros than  to  accoT^lish  it.  They  had  no  horses,  — 
at  least,  none  that  could  be  mounted,  —  and  to  attack 
the  animal  on  foot  would  be  a  game  as  dangerous  as 
idle.  He  would  be  like  enough  to  impale  one  of 
them  on  his  great  spike,  or  else  trample  them  brutally 
under  his  huge  feet.  If  he  did  not  do  one  or  the 
other,  he  would  easily  make  his  escape,  as  any  kind 
of  rhinoceros  can  outrun  a  man. 

How  were  they  to  manage  him,  then  ? 

Perhaps  they  might  get  near,  fire  at  him  from  an 
ambush,  and  with  a  lucky  shot  stretch  him  out.  A 
single  bullet  sometimes  kills  the  rhinoceros,  but  only 
when  correctly  placed,  so  as  to  penetrate  the  heart, 
or  some  other  of  the  "vitals." 

This  was,  probably,  the  best  plan.  They  might 
easily  get  near  enough.  There  was  some  bush  cover 
close  to  the  spot.  It  was  probable  the  old  kobaoba 
would  not  perceive  them  if  they  approached  from 
leeward,  particularly  as  he  seemed  in  the  full  tide  of 
enjoyment  at  that  moment. 

They  were  about  to  attempt  the  approach,  and  had 
got  to  their  feet  for  that  purpose,  when  a  sudden  fit 
seemed  to  have  attacked  Swartboy.  The  latter  com- 
menced jumping  over  the  ground,  at  the  same  time 
muttering,  in  a  low  voice, 

"Daklow!    daklow!" 


128  A    HEAVY    COMBAT. 

A  stranger  would  have  fancied  Swartboy  in  a  fit ; 
but  Von  Bloom  knew  that  by  "  Da  klow !  da  klow  !  " 
the  Bushman  meant  "  The  elephant !  the  elephant !  " 
and  therefore  looked  in  the  direction  in  which  Swart- 
boy  was  pointing. 

Sure  enough,  upon  the  western  plain,  looming  up 
against  the  yellow  sky,  was  a  dark  mass,  that  upon 
examination  presented  the  outlines  of  an  elephant. 
Its  rounded  back  was  easily  distinguished  over  the 
low  bushes,  and  its  broad  hanging  ears  were  moving 
as  it  marched.  All  saw,  at  a  glance,  that  it  was 
coming  towards  the  lake,  and  almost  in  the  same  track 
that  the  rhinoceros  had  taken. 

Of  course  this  new  apparition  quite  disarranged 
the  plans  of  the  hunters.  At  sight  of  the  mighty 
elephant,  they  scarce  any  longer  gave  a  thought  to 
the  kobaoba.  Not  that  they  had  formed  any  very 
great  hopes  of  being  able  to  kill  the  gigantic  animal, 
yet  some  such  thought  was  running  through  their 
minds.  They  had;  determined  to  try,  at  all  events. 

Before  they  could  agree  upon  any  plan,  however, 
the  elephant  had  got  up  to  the  edge  of  the  lake. 
Though  moving  only  at  a  slow  walk,  with  his  im- 
mense strides  he  soon  measured  off  a  large  quantity 
of  ground,  and  advanced  much  more  rapidly  than  one 
would  have  supposed.  The  hunters  had  scarce  time 
to  exchange  thoughts  before  the  "huge  creature  was 
up  within  a  few  yards  of  the  water. 

Here  he  halted,  pointed  his  proboscis  in  different 
directions,  stood  quite  silent,  and  seemed  to  listen. 

There  was  no  noise  to  disturb  him ;  even  the  ko- 
baoba for  the  moment  was  quiet. 


A    HEAVY    COMBAT.  129 

After  standing  a  minute  or  so,  the  huge  creature 
moved  forward  again,  and  entered  the  gorge  already 
described. 

They  at  the  camp  had  now  a  full  view  of  him,  at 
less  than  three  hun^gd  yards7  distance.  An  immense 
mass  he  seemec^^Rs  body  quite  filled  the  gorge 
from  side  to  side,^KF  his  long  yellow  tusks,  project- 
ing more  than  two  yards  from  his  jaws,  curved  grace- 
fully upward.  He  was  an  "old  bull,"  as  Swartboy 
whispered. 

Up  to  this  time  the  rhinoceros  had  not  had  the 
slightest  intimation  of  the  elephant's  approach  ;  for 
the  tread  of  the  latter,  big  beast  as  he  is,  is  as  silent 
as  a  cat's.  It  is  true  J&at  a  loud  rumbling  noise,  like 
distant  thunder,  proceeded  from  his  inside  as  he 
moved  along ;  but  the  kobaoba  was  in  too  high  a 
caper,  just  then,  to  have  heard  or  noticed  any  sound 
that  was  not  very  near  and  distinct. 

The  huge  body  of  the  elephant  coming  suddenly 
into  "his  sunshine/'  and  flinging  its  dark  shadow 
over  the  vley,  was  distinct  enough,  and  caused  the 
kobaoba  to  get  to  his  feet  with  an  agility  quite  sur- 
prising for  a  creature  of  his  bujld. 

At  the  same  time  a  noise  something  between  a 
grunt  and  a  whistle  escaped  him,  as  the  water  was 
ejected  from  his  nostrils. 

The  elephant  also  uttered  his  peculiar  salute,  in  a 
trumpet-note  that  echoed  from  the  cliffs,  and  halted 
in  his  tracks  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  rhinoceros. 

No  doubt  both  were  surprised  at  the  rencontre,  as 
both  stood  for  some  seconds  eying  each  other  with 
apparent  astonishment. 
9 


130  A    HEAVY    COMBAT. 

This,  however,  soon  gave  place  to  a  different  feel- 
ing. Symptoms  of  anger  began  to  show  themselves. 
It  was  evident  that  bad  blood  was  brewing  between 
them. 

There  was,  in  fact,  a  little  dilemma.  The  elephant 
could  not  get  comfortably  at  ^^R^iter  unless  the 
rhinoceros  left  the  cove ;  and  ^^^fhinoceros  could 
not  well  get  out  of  the  cove,  so  long  as-  the  elephant 
blocked  up  the  gorge  with  his  immense  thick  limbs. 

It  is  true  the  kobaoba  might  have  sneaked  through 
among  the  other's  legs,  or  he  might  have  swum  off 
and  landed  at  some  other  point,  and  in  either  way 
have  left  the  coast  clear. 

But,  of  all  animals  in  the  world,  a  rhinoceros  is, 
perhaps,  the  most  unaccommodating.  He  is,  also, 
one  of  the  most  fearless,  dreading  neither  man  nor 
beast,  —  not  even  the  boasted  lion,  whom  he  often 
chases  like  a  cat.  Hence  the  old  kobaoba  had  no 
intention  of  yielding  ground  to  the  elephant ;  and, 
from  his  attitude,  it  was  plain  that  he  neither  in- 
tended to  sneak  off  under  the  other's  belly,  nor 
swim  a  single  stroke  for  him.  No,  not  a  stroke. 

It  remained  to  be  seen  how  the  point  of  honor  was 
to  be  decided.  The  attitude  of  affairs  had  become 
so  interesting  that  every  one  by  the  camp  was  gazing 
with  fixed  eyes  upon  the  two  great  bulls  —  for  the 
rhinoceros  was  also  a  "  bull/7  and  of  the  largest  size 
known  of  his  kind. 

For  several  minutes  they  stood  eying  each  other. 
The  elephant,  although  much  the  larger,  knew  his 
antagonist  well.  He  had  met  his  "sort'7  before, 
and  knew  better  than  to  despise  his  powers.  Per- 


A    HEAVY    COMBAT.  131 

haps,  ere  now,  he  had  had  a  touch  of  that  long,  spit- 
like  excrescence  that  stood  out  from  the  kobaoba's 
snout. 

At  all  events,  he  did  not  rush  upon  his  adversary 
at  once,  as  he  would  have  done  on  some  poor  ante- 
lope that  might  havi*  crossed  him  in  the  same  way. 

His  patience,  however,  became  exhausted.  His 
ancient  dignity  was  insulted,  his  rule  disputed ;  he 
wished  to  have  his  bath  and  his  drink,  —  he  could 
bear  the  insolence  of  the  rhinoceros  no  longer. 

With  a  bellow  that  made  the  rocks  ring  again,  he 
charged  forward,  placed  his  tusks  firmly  under  the 
shoulder  of  his  adversary,  gave  a  mighty  "lift,"  and 
turned  the  rhinoceros  over  in  the  water. 

For  a  moment  the  latter  plunged,  and  blowed,  and 
snorted,  his  head  half  under  water ;  but  in  a  second's 
time  he  was  on  his  feet  again,  and  charging  in  turn. 
The  spectators  could  see  that  he  aimed  right  at  the 
elephant's  ribs  with  his  horn,  and  that  the  latter  did 
all  he  could  to  keep  head  towards  Jwn. 

Again  the  elephant  flung  the  kHJoba,  and  again 
the  latter  rose  and  charged  madly  upon  his  huge 
antagonist ;  and  so  both  fought,  until^  the  water 
around  them  was  white  with  foam. 

The  contest  was  carried  on  in  the  water,  until  the 
elephant,  seeming  to  think  his  adversary  had  an  ad- 
vantage there,  backed  himself  into  the  gorge,  and 
stood  waiting  with  his  head  towards  the  lake.  In 
this  position  the  sides  of  the  gorge  did  not  protect 
him,  as  perhaps  he  fancied.  They  were  too  low, 
and  his  broad  flanks  rose  far  above  them.  They 


132  A    HEAVY    COMBAT. 

only  kept  him  from  turning  round,  and  this  interfered 
with  the  freedom  of  his  movements. 

It  could  scarce  have  been  design  in  the  rhinoceros 
to  act  as  he  now  did,  though  it  appeared  so  to  those 
who  were  watching.  As  the  ^fcriiant  took  .up  his 
position  in  the  gorge,  the  kobaoba  clambered  out 
upon  the  bank ;  and  then,  wliRBrg  suddenly,  with 
head  to  the  ground  and  long  horn  projected  horizon- 
tally, the  latter  rushed  upon  his  antagonist  and 
struck  him  right  among  the  ribs.  The  spectators 
saw  that  the  horn  penetrated,  and  the  loud  scream 
that  came  from  the  elephant,  with  the  quick  motions 
of  his  trunk  and  tail,  told  plainly  that  he  had  received 
a  severe  wound.  Instead  of  standing  any  longer  in 
the  gorge,  he  rushed  forward,  and  did  not  stop  until 
he  was  knee-deep  in  the  lake.  Drawing  the  water 
up  into  his  trunk,  he  raised  it  on  high,  and,  pointing 
it  backwards,  he  discharged  large  volumes  over  his 
body,  and  upon  the  spot  where  he  had  received  the 
thrust  of  the  kol^aba's  horn. 

He  then  ran  omof  the  lake,  and  charged  about  in 
search  of  the  rhinoceros  ;  but  long-horn  was  no  longer 
to  be  found ! 

Having  escaped  from  the  cove  without  comprom- 
ising his  dignity,  and,  perhaps,  believing  that  he  had 
gained  the  victory,  the  rhinoceros,  as  soon  as  he 
delivered  the  thrust,  had  galloped  off  and  disappeared 
among  the  bushes. 


THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT.          133 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THK    DEATH    OF   THE    ELEPHANT. 


THE  battle  between  these  two  large  quadrupeds 
did  not  continue  for  more  than  ten  minutes.  During 
that  time  the  hunters  made  no  advance  towards 
attacking  either  of  them,  so  much  absorbed  were 
they  in  watching  the  novel  contest.  It  was  only 
after  the  rhinoceros  had  retreated,  and  the  elephant 
returned  to  the  water,  that  they  once  more  began  to 
deliberate  on  some  plan  of  assaulting  this  mightiest 
of  African  animals.  Hans  now  laid  hold  of  his  gun 
and  joined  them. 

The  elephant,  after  looking  about  for  his  enemy, 
had  got  back,  and  was  standing  knee-deep  in  the 
lake.  He  appeared  restless,  and  higmy  excited.  His 
tail  was  continually  in  motion,  and  at  intervals  he 
uttered  a  piercing,  melancholy  scream,  far  different 
to  the  usual  trumpet-like  bellow  of  his  voice.  He 
lifted  his  huge  limbs,  and  then  plunged  them  back 
again  to  the  bottom,  until  the  foam  gathered  upon 
the  water  with  his  continued  churning. 

But  the  oddest  of  his  actions  was  the  manner  in 
which  he  employed  his  long  tubular  trunk.  With 
this  he  sucked  up  vast  volumes  of  water,  and  then 
pointing  it  backwards,  ejected  the  fluid  over  his  back 
and  shoulders,  as  if  from  an  immense  syringe.  This 


134         THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 

shower-bath  he  kept  repeating,  time  after  time, 
though  it  was  evident  he  was  not  at  his  ease. 

They  all  knew  he  was  angry.  Swartboy  said  it 
would  be  exceedingly  dangerous  to  be  seen  by  him 
at  that  moment,  without  having, a  horse  to  gallop 
out  of  his  way.  On  this  account  fcvery  one  of  them 
had  concealed  themselves  berrma  the  trunk  of  the 
nwana-tree,  Von  Bloom  peeping  past  one  side,  and 
Hendrik  the  other,  in  order  to  watch  his  movements. 

Notwithstanding  the  danger,  they  at  length  re- 
solved to  attack  him.  They  believed  that  if  they 
did  not  do  so  soon,  he  would  walk  off  and  leave  them 
supperless,  for  they  had  hoped  to  sup  upon  a  slice 
of  his  trunk.  Time,  therefore,  had  grown  precious, 
and  they  resolved  to  attack  him  without  further  ado,. 

They  intended  to  creep  as  near  as  was  safe.  All 
three  would  fire  together,  and  then  lie  close  in  the 
bushes  until  they  saw  the  effect  of  their  shots. 

Without  further  parley,  Von  Bloom,  Hans,  and 
Hendrik,  leaving  the  tree,  crept  through  the  busjies 
towards  the  western  end  of  the  lake.  It  was  not  a 
continuous  thicket,  but  only  an  assemblage  of  copses 
and  clumps,  so  that  they  required  to  steal  very  cau- 
tiously from  one  to  the  other.  Von  Bloom  led  the 
way,  while  the  boys  kept  in  his  tracks,  following 
him  closely. 

After  some  five  minutes  spent  in  this  way,  they 
got  under  cover  of  a  little  clump  near  the  water's 
edge,  and  near  enough  to  the  gigantic  game.  Upon 
their  hands,  and  knees  they  now  approached  the 
verge  of  the  underwood  ;  and,  having  parted  the 
leaves,  looked  through.  The  mighty  quadruped 


THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT.          135 

was  right  under  their  eyes,  within  twenty  yards  of 
them ! 

He  was  still  busy  plunging  about,  and  blowing 
volumes  of  water  over  his  body.  He  gave  no  sign 
that  he  had  any  suspicion  of  their  presence.  They 
could  take  time,  therefore,  in  choosing  a  part  of  his 
huge  body  at  which  to  aim  their  pieces. 

When  first  seen  from  their  new  position,  he  was 
standing  stern  towards  them.  Von  Bloom  did  not 
think  it  a  good  time  to  fire,  as  they  could  not  give 
him  a  deadly  wound  in  that  situation.  They  waited, 
therefore,  until  he  might  turn  his  side,  before  they 
should  deliver  their  volley.  They  kept  their  eyes 
all  the  while  steadily  fixed  on  him. 

He  ceased  at  length  to  "churn'7  with  his  feet, 
and  no  longer  raised  water  in  his  trunk ;  and  now 
the  hunters  perceived  that  the  lake  was  red  for  a 
space  around  him.  It  was  his  blood  that  had  red- 
dened it.  . 

They  no  longer  doubted  that  he  had  been  wounded 
by  the  rhinoceros  ;  but  whether  the  wound  was  a 
bad  one  they  could  not  tell.  It  was  in  his  side,  and 
as  yet  they  could  only  see  his  broad  stern  from  the 
position  in  which  he  still  continued  to  stand.  But  they 
waited  with  confidence,  as  they  knew  that  in  turning 
to  get  out  of  the  water  he  would  have  to  present  his 
side  towards  them. 

For  several  minutes  he  kept  the  same  position ; 
but  they  noticed  that  his  tail  no  longer  switched 
about,  and  that  his  attitude  was  loose  and  drooping. 
Now  and  then  he  turned  his  proboscis  to  the  spot 
where  he  had  received  the  thrust  of  the  kobaoba's 


136          THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 

horn.  It  was  evident  that  the  wound  was  distress- 
ing him,  and  this  became  more  apparent  by  the  loud, 
painful  breathing  the  creature  uttered  through  his 
trunk. 

The  three  began  to  grow  impatient.  Hendrik 
asked  leave  to  creep  round  to  another  point,  and 
give  him  a  shot  that  would  turn  him  round. 

Just  at  that  moment  the  elephant  made  a  motion, 
as  though  he  was  about  to  come  out  of  the  water. 

He  had  got  fairly  round,  his  head  and  forepart 
were  over  dry  land,  the  three  guns  were  pointed, 
the  eyes  of  the  three  hunters  were  about  to  glance 
through  the  sights  of  their  pieces,  when  all  at  once 
he  was  seen  to  rock  and  stagger,  and  then  roll  over ! 
With  a  loud  plash,  his  vast  body  subsided  into  the 
water,  sending  great  waves  to  every  corner  of  the 
lake. 

The  hunters  uncocked  their  guns,  and,  springing 
from  their  ambush,  rushed  forward  to  the  bank. 
They  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  elephant  was  dead. 
They  saw  the  wound  upon  his  side,  the  hole  made 
by  the  horn  of  the  rhinoceros.  It  was  not  very  large, 
but  the  terrible  weapon  had  penetrated  far  into  his 
body,  into  his  very  vitals.  No  wonder,  then,  at  the 
result  it  had  produced  —  the  death  of  the  mightiest 
of  quadrupeds. 

As  soon  as  it  became  known  that  the  elephant  was 
dead,  everybody  was  seen  rushing  forward  to  the 
spot.  Little  Triiey  and  Jan  were  called  from  their 
hiding-place,  —  for  they  had  both  been  hidden  in  the 
wagon,  —  and  Totty,  too,  went  down  with  the  rest. 
Swartboy  was  one  of  the  first  upon  the  spot,  carry- 


THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT.          137 

ing  an  axe  and  a  large  knife,  —  for  Swartboy  had 
designs  upon  the  carcass,  —  while  Hans  and  Hen- 
drik  both  threw  off  their  jackets  to  assist  in  the 
butchering  operations. 

And  what  during  this  time  was  Von  Bloom  about  ? 
Ha !  That  is  a  moi&  important  question  than  you 
think  for.  That  was  an  important  hour, — the  hour 
of  a  great  crisis  in  the  life  of  the  field-cornet. 

He  was  standing,  with  folded  arms,  on  the  bank 
of  the  lake,  directly  over  the  spot  where  the  ele- 
phant had  fallen.  He  appeared  to  be  wrapt  in  silent 
meditation,  his  eyes  bent  upon  the  huge  carcass  of 
the  animal.  No,  not  on  the  carcass.  A  close  ob- 
server would  have  perceived  that  his  eyes  did  not 
wander  over  that  mountain  of  thick  skin  and  flesh, 
but  were  resting  upon  a  particular  spot. 

Was  it  the  wound  in  the  animal's  side  ?  And  was 
Von  Bloom  meditating  how  the  thrust  had  caused 
the  death  of  such  a  huge  creature  ? 

Neither  one  nor  the  other.  His  thoughts  were 
upon  a  very  different  theme  from  either. 

The  elephant  had  fallen  so  that  his  head  was  clear 
of  the  water,  and  rested  upon  a  little  bank  of  sand, 
along  which  his  soft  and  limber  trunk  lay  extended 
to  its  full  length.  Curving  like  a  pair  of  gigantic 
scimeters  from  its  base,  were  the  yellow  enamelled 
tusks ;  those  ivory  arms  that  for  years — ay,  centuries, 
perhaps  —  had  served  him  to  root  up  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  and  rout  his  antagonists  in  many  a  dread 
encounter.  Precious  and  beautiful  trophies  were 
they  ;  but,  alas  !  their  world-wide  fame  had  cost  no 
less  than  life  to  many  thousands  of  his  race. 


138          THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 

Shining  in  all  their  magnificence  lay  these  mated 
crescents,  gently  curved  and  softly  rounded.  It 
was  upon  these  that  the  eyes  of  the  field-cornet  were 
bent. 

Ay,  and  bent,  too,  with  an  eagerness  unusual  in 
his  glance.  His  lips  were  compressed,  his  chest 
was  visibly  heaving.  0,  there  was  a  world  of 
thoughts  passing  through  the  mind  of  Von  Bloom  at 
that  moment. 

Were  they  painful  thoughts  ?  The  expression  of 
his  face  told  the  contrary.  The  cloud  that  all  that 
day  sat  perched  upon  his  brow  had  vanished.  Not 
a  trace  of  it  remained ;  but  in  its  place  could  be 
seen  the  lines  of  hope  and  joy,  and  these  feelings  at 
length  found  expression  in  words. 

"  It  is  the  hand  of  Heaven  !  "  he  exclaimed,  aloud. 
"  A  fortune,  a  fortune  !  " 

"  What  is  it,  papa  ?  "  inquired  little  Triiey,  who 
was  near  him;  "what  were  you  speaking  about, 
dear  papa  ?  " 

And  then  all  the  others  gathered  around  him, 
noticing  his  excited  manner,  and  pleased  at  seeing 
him  look  so  happy. 

"What  is  it,  papa?"  asked  all  together,  while 
Swartboy  and  Totty  stood  eager  as  the  rest  to  hear 
the  answer. 

In  the  pleasant  excitement  of  his  thoughts,  the 
fond  father  could  no  longer  conceal  from  his  children 
the  secret  of  his  new-born  happiness.  He  would 
gratify  them  by  disclosing  it. 

Pointing  to.  the  long  crescents,  he  said, 

"You  see  those  beautiful  tusks  ?  " 


THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT.          139 

Yes,  of  course,  they  all  did. 

"  Well,  do  you  know  their  value  ?  " 

No.  They  knew  they  were  worth  something.  They 
knew  that  it  was  from  elephants7  tusks  that  ivory  was 
obtained,  or,  more  properly,  that  elephants'  tusks 
were  ivory  itself;  and  that  it  was  used  in  the  manu- 
facture of  hundreds  of  articles.  In  fact,  little  Triiey 
had  a  beautiful  fan  made  out  of  it,  which  had  been 
her  mother's  ;  and  Jan  had  a  knife  with  an  ivory 
handle.  Ivory  was  a  very  beautiful  material,  and 
cost  very  dear,  they  knew.  All  this  they  knew,  but 
the  value  of  the  two  tusks  they  could  not  guess  at. 
They  said  so. 

"Well,  my  children,"  said  Von  Bloom,  "as  near 
as  I  can  estimate  them,  they  are  worth  twenty 
pounds  each  of  English  money." 

"  0  !  0  !  Such  a  grand  sum ! "  cried  all  in  a 
breath. 

"  Yes,"  continued  the  field-cornet ;  "I  should 
think  each  tusk  is  one  hundred  pounds  in  weight ; 
and  as  ivory  at  present  sells  for  four  shillings  and 
sixpence  the  pound  weight,  these  two  would  yield 
between  forty  and  fifty  pounds  of  sterling  money." 

"  Why,  it  would  buy  a  full  span  of  best  oxen  !  " 
cried  Hans. 

"  Four  good  horses  !  "  said  Hendrik. 

"  A  whole  flock  of  sheep  !  "  added  little  Jan. 

"  But  whom  can  we  sell  them  to  ?  "  asked  Hen- 
drik, after  a  pause.  "  We  are  away  from  the  settle- 
ments. Who  is  to  give  us  either  oxen,  or  horses, 
or  sheep,  for  them  ?  It  would  not  be  worth  while  to 
carry  two  tusks  all  the  way " 


140          THE  DEATH  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 

"  Not  tivo,  Hendrik,"  said  his  father,  interrupting 
him;  "but  twenty  it  might,  —  ay,  twice  twenty,  or 
three  times  that  number.  Now  do  you  understand 
what  makes  me  so  gay  ?  " 

"  0  I"  exclaimed  Hendrik,  as  well  as  the  others, 
who  now  began  to  perceive  what  their  father  was  so 
joyed  about,  "you  think  we  can  obtain  more  tusks 
in  these  parts  ?  " 

"  Precisely  so.  I  think  there  are  many  elephants 
here.  I  feel  certain  of  it  from  the  quantity  of  their 
spoor  I  have  already  noticed.  We  have  our  guns, 
and,  fortunately,  plenty  of  ammunition.  We  are  all 
pretty  fair  shots ;  why  can  we  not  obtain  more  of 
these  valuable  trophies  ? 

"But  we  shall,"  continued  Yon  Bloom.  "  I  know 
we  shall,  because  I  recognize  the  hand  of  God  in 
sending  us  this  wealth  in  the  midst  of  our  misery, 
after  we  had  lost  everything.  More  will  come  by 
the  guiding  of  the  same  hand.  So  be  of  good  cheer, 
my  children.  We  shall  not  want ;  we  shall  yet  have 
plenty, — we  may  be  rich!" 

It  was  not  that  any  of  those  young  creatures  cared 
much  about  being  rich,  but  because  they  saw  their 
father  so  liappy,  that  they  broke  out  into  something 
more  than  a  murmur  of  applause.  It  was,  in  fact,  a 
cheer,  in  which  both  Totty  and  Swartboy  joined.  It 
rang  over  the  little  lake,  and  caused  the  birds  about 
settling  to  roost  to  wonder  what  was  going  on. 
There  was  no  happier  group  in  all  Africa  than  stood 
at  that  moment  upon  the  shore  of  that  lonely  little 
vley. 


TURNED    HUNTERS.  141 


CHAPTER    XX. 

TURNED   HUNTERS. 

THE  field-cornet,  then,  had  resolved  upon  turning 
hunter  by  profession  —  a  hunter  of  elephants  ;  and  it 
was  a  pleasant  reflection  to  think  that  this  occupa- 
tion promised  not  only  exciting  sport,  but  great 
profit.  He  knew  that  it  was  not  so  easy  a  matter 
to  succeed  in  killing  such  large  and  valuable  game 
as  elephants.  He  did  not  suppose  that  in  a  few 
weeks  or  months  he  would  obtain  any  great  quan- 
tities of  their  ivory  spoils  ;  but  he  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  spend  even  years  in  the  pursuit.  For  years 
he  should  lead  the  life  of  a  Bushman,  —  for  years  his 
sons  would  be  "  Bush-boys, " —  and  he  hoped  that 
in  time  his  patience  and  toil  would  be  amply  re- 
warded. 

That  night,  around  the  camp-fire,  all  were  very 
happy,  and  very  merry.  The  elephant  had  been 
left  where  he  lay,  to  be  cut  up  on  the  morrow.  Only 
his  trunk  had  been  taken  off,  part  of  which  was 
cooked  for  supper. 

Although  all  the  flesh  of  the  elephant  is  eatable, 
the  trunk  is  esteemed  one  of  the  delicate  bits.  It 
tastes  not  unlike  ox-tongue,  and  all  of  them  liked  it 
exceedingly.  To  Swartboy,  who  had  made  many 


142  TURNED  HUNTERS. 

a  meal  upon  "  de  ole  klow,"  it  was  a  highly-relished 
feast. 

They  had  plenty  of  fine  milk,  too.  The  cow,  now 
upon  the  best  of  pasture,  doubled  her  yield  ;  and  the 
quantity  of  this,  the  most  delicious  of  «11  drinks,  was 
sufficient  to  give  every  one  a  large  allowance. 

While  enjoying  their  new-fashioned  dish  of  roast 
elephant-trunk,  the  conversation  naturally  turned 
upon  these  animals. 

Everybody  knows  the  appearance  of  the  elephant ; 
therefore  a  description  of  him  is  quite  superfluous. 
But  everybody  does  not  know  that  there  are  two 
distinct  kinds  of  this  gigantic  quadruped  —  the  Afri- 
can and  Asiatic. 

Until  a  late  period  they  were  thought  to  be  of  the 
same  species.  Now  they  are  acknowledged  to  be, 
not  only  distinct,  but  very  different  in  many  respects. 
The  Asiatic,  or,  as  it  is  more  frequently  called,  the 
".Indian  "  elephant,  is  the  larger  of  the  two  ;  but  it 
is  possible  that  domestication  may  have  produced  a 
larger  kind,  as  is  the  rule  with  many  animals.  The 
African  species  exists  only  in  a  wild  state  ;  and  it 
would  appear  that  individuals  of  this  kind  have  been 
measured  having  the  dimensions  of  the  largest  of  the 
wild  Asiatic  elephants. 

The  most  remarkable  points  of  difference  between 
the  two  are  found  in  the  ears  and  tusks.  The  ears 
of  the  African  elephant  are  of  enormous  proportions, 
meeting  each  other  above  the  shoulders,  and  hang- 
ing down  below  the  breast.  Those  of  the  Indian  ele- 
phant are  scarce  one  third  the  size.  In  his  grand 
tusks  the  former  has  far  the  advantage,  —  these  in 


TURNED    HUNTERS.  143 

some  individuals  weighing  nearly  two  hundred 
pounds  each, — while  the  tusks  of  the  latter  rarely 
reach  the  weight  of  one  hundred.  To  this,  however, 
there  are  some  exceptions.  Of  course  a  two  hun- 
dred pound  tusk  is  one  of  the  very  largest^  and  far 
above  the  average  even  of  African  elephants.  In 
this  species  the  females  are  also  provided  with  tusks, 
— though  not  of  such  size  as  in  the  males,  — whereas 
the  female  of  the  Indian  elephant  has  either  no  tusks 
at  all,  or  they  are  so  small  as  to  be  scarcely  percep- 
tible outside  the  skin  of  the  lips. 

The  other  chief  points  of  difference  between  the 
two  are  that  the  front  of  the  Asiatic  elephant  is  con- 
cave, while  that  of  the  African  is  convex ;  and  the 
former  has  four  horny  toes,  or  sabots,  on  the  hind-foot, 
where  only  three  appear  upon  that  of  the  latter.  The 
enamel  of  the  teeth  presents  still  another  proof  of 
these  animals  being  different  in  species. 

Nor  are  all  Asiatic  elephants  alike.  In  this  spe- 
cies there  are  varieties  which  present  very  distinct 
features  ;  and,  indeed,  these  "  varieties,"  as  they  are 
called,  appear  to  differ  from  each  other,  nearly  as 
much  as  any  one  of  them  does  from  the  African 
kind. 

One  variety,  known  among  Orientals  by  the  name 
of  "mooknah,"  has  straight  tusks  that  point  down- 
ward, whereas  the  usual  habit  of  these  singular 
appendages  is  to  curve  upward. 

Asiatics  recognize  two,  main  castes,  or  perhaps 
species,  among  their  elephants.  One  known  as 
"coomareah"  is  a  deep-bodied,  compact,  and  strong 
animal,  with  large  trunk  and  short  legs.  The  other, 


144  TURNED    HUNTERS. 

called  "merghee,"  is  a  taller  kind,  but  neither  so 
compact  nor  strong  as  the  coomareah,  nor  has  he  so 
large  a  trunk.  His  long  legs  enable  him  to  travel 
faster  than  the  coomareah ;  but  the  latter  having  a 
larger  trunk  (a  point  of  beauty  among  elephant- 
owners),  and  being  capable  of  enduring  more  fatigue, 
is  the  favorite,  and  fetches  a  larger  price  in  the 
Oriental  market. 

Occasionally  a  white  elephant  is  met  with.  This  is 
simply  an  "  albino  ;  "  but  such  are  greatly  prized  in 
many  countries  of  Asia,  and  large  sums  are  given 
for  them.  They  are  even  held  in  superstitious  ven- 
eration in  some  parts. 

The  Indian  elephant  at  the  present  time  inhabits 
most  of  the  southern  countries  of  Asia,  including 
the  large  islands  of  Ceylon,  Java,  Sumatra,  Borneo, 
etc.  Of  course  every  one  knows  that  in  these  coun- 
tries the  elephant  has  been  trained  long  ago  to  the 
use  of  man,  and  is  one  of  the  "domestic  animals. " 
But  he  also  exists  in  a  wild  state,  both  upon  the  con- 
tinent of  Asia  and  in  its  islands  ;  and  hunting  the 
elephant  is  one  of  the  grand  sports  of  the  East. 

In  Africa  the  elephant  exists  only  in  a  state  of 
nature.  None  of  the  nations  upon  this  little-known 
continent  tame  or  train  him  to  any  purpose.  He  is 
only  prized  among  them  for  his  precious  teeth,  and 
his  flesh  as  well.  Some  have  asserted  that  this 
species  is  more  fierce  than  its  Indian  congener,  and 
could  not  be  domesticated.  This  is  altogether  a  mis- 
take. The  reason  why  the  African  elephant  is  not 
trained,  is  simply  that  none  of  the  modern  nations 
of  Africa  have  yet  reached  a  high  enough  point  of 


TURNED    HUNTERS.  145 

civilization  to  avail  themselves  of  the  services  of  this 
valuable  animal. 

The  African  elephant  may  be  domesticated  and 
trained  to  the  "howdah,"  or  castle,  as  easily  as  his 
Indian  cousin.  The  trial  has  been  made  ;  but  that  it 
can  be  done  no  better  proof  is  required  than  that  at 
one  period  it  was  done,  and  upon  a  large  scale.  The 
elephants  of  the  Carthaginian  army  were  of  this 
species. 

The  African  elephant  at  present  inhabits  the  cen- 
tral and  southern  parts  of  Africa.  Abyssinia  on  the 
east,  and  Senegal  on  the  west,  are  his  northern  lim- 
its, and  but  a  few  years  ago  he  roamed  southward  to 
the  very  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  activity  of  the 
Dutch  ivory-hunters,  with  their  enormous  long  guns, 
has  driven  him  from  that  quarter ;  and  he  is  no 
longer  to  be  found  to  the  south  of  the  Orange  river. 

Some  naturalists  (Cuvier  among  others)  believed 
the  Abyssinian  elephant  to  be  of  the  Indian  species. 
That  idea  is  now  exploded,  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
think  that  the  latter  inhabits  any  part  of  Africa.  It 
is  very  likely  there  are  varieties  of  the  African  spe- 
cies in  different  parts  of  the  continent.  It  is  well 
known  that  those  of  the  tropical  regions  are  larger 
than  the  others  ;  and  a  reddish  and  very  fierce  kind  is 
said  to  be  met  with  in  the  mountains  of  Africa,  upon 
the  river  Niger.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  these 
red  elephants  seen  have  been  some  whose  bodies 
were  coated  with  red  dust,  as  it  is  a  habit  of  ele- 
phants to  powder  themselves  with  dust  on  many 
occasions,  using  their  trunks  as  "  dredgers. " 

Swartboy  spoke  of  a  variety  well  known  among 
10 


146  TURNED    HUNTERS. 

the  Hottentot  hunters  as  the  "koes-cops."  This 
kind,  he  said,  differed  from  the  ordinary  ones  by  its 
altogether  wanting  the  tusks,  and  being  of  a  far 
more  vicious  disposition.  Its  encounter  is  more 
dreaded ;  but,  as  it  possesses  no  trophies  to  make  it 
worth  the  trouble  and  danger  of  killing,  the  hunters 
usually  give  it  a  wide  berth. 

Such  was  the  conversation  that  night  around  the 
camp-fire.  Much  of  the  information  here  given  was 
furnished  by  Hans,  who,  of  course,  had  gathered  it 
from  books  ;  but  the  Bushman  contributed  his  quota 
—  perhaps  of  a  far  more  reliable  character. 

All  were  destined  ere  long  to  make  practical  ac- 
quaintance with  the  haunts  and  habits  of  this  huge 
quadruped,  that  to  them  had  now  become  the  most 
interesting  of  all  the  animal  creation. 


JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT.  147 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

JERKING   AN   ELEPHANT. 

day  was  one  of  severe  but  joyful  labor.  It 
was  spent  in  "  curing"  the  elephant,  —  not  in  a,  med- 
ical sense,  but  in  the  language  of  the  provision-store. 

Although  not  equal  to  either  beef  or  mutton,  or 
even  pork,  the  flesh  of  the  elephant  is  sufficiently 
palatable  to  be  eaten.  There  is  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  be  ;  for  the  animal  is  a  clean  feeder,  and 
lives  ali£|rether  on  vegetable  substances — the  leaves 
and  tender  shoots  of  trees,  with  several  species  of 
bulbous  roots,  which  he  well  knows  how  to  extract 
from  the  ground  with  his  tusks  and  trunk.  It  does 
not  follow  from  this  that  his  beef  should  be  well- 
tasted  ;  since  we  see  that  the  hog,  one  of  the  most 
unclean  of  feeders,  yields  most  delicious  "pork;" 
while  another  of  the  same  family  (pachydermata) , 
that  subsists  only  on  sweet  succulent  roots,  pro- 
duces a  flesh  both  insipid  and  bitter.  I  allude  to  the 
South  American  tapir.  The  quality  of  the  food, 
therefore,  is  no  criterion  of  the  quality  of  the  flesh. 

It  is  true  that  the  beef  of  the  elephant  was  not 
what  Von  Bloom  and  most  of  his  family  would  have 
chosen  for  their  regular  diet.  Had  they  been  sure 
of  procuring  a  supply  of  antelope-venison,  the  great 
carcass  might  have  gone,  not  to  the  "  dogs,"  but 


148  JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT. 

to  their  kindred  the  hyenas.  But  they  were  not  sure 
of  getting  even  a  single  antelope,  and  therefore  de- 
cided upon  "curing"  the  elephant.  It  would  be  a 
safe  stock  to  have  on  hand,  and  need  not  interfere 
with  their  eating  venison,  or  any  other  dainty  that 
might  turn  up. 

The  first  thing  done  was  to  cut  out  the  tusks. 
This  proved  a  tough  job,  and  occupied  full  two 
hours.  Fortunately  there  was  a  good  axe  on  hand. 
But  for  this  and  Swartboy's  knowledge,  double  the 
.time  might  have  been  wasted  in  the  operation. 

The  ivory  having  been  extracted  and  put  away  in 
a  safe  place,  the  "  cutting  up  "  then  commenced  in 
earnest.  Von  Bloom  and  Swartboy  were  the  "  baas- 
butchers,"  while  Hans  and  Hendrik  played  the  part 
of  "swabs."  As  the  carcass  lay  half  undd* water, 
they  would  have  had  some  difficulty  in  dealing  with 
the  under  part.  But  this  they  did  not  design  to 
touch.  The  upper  half  would  be  amply  sufficient  to 
provision  them  a  long  while  ;  and  so  they  set  about 
removing  the  skin  from  that  side  that  was  upper- 
most. 

The  rough,  thick  outer  coat  they  removed  in  broad 
sheets  cut  into  sections ;  and  then  they  peeled  off 
several  coats  of  an  under  skin,  of  tough  and  pliant 
nature.  Had  they  needed  water-vessels,  Swartboy 
would  have  saved  this  for  making  them  —  as  it  is 
used  for  such  purposes  by  the  Bushmen  and  other 
natives.  But  they  had  vessels  enough  in  the  wagon, 
and  this  skin  was  thrown  away. 

They  had  now  reached  the  pure  flesh,  which  they 
separated  in  large  sheets  from  the  ribs ;  and  then  the 


JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT.  149 

ribs  were  cut  out,  one  by  one,  with  the  axe.  This 
trouble  they  would  not  have  taken  —  as  they  did  not 
want  the  ribs  —  but  they  cut  them  away  for  another 
reason,  namely,  to  enable  them  to  get  at  the  valuable 
fat,  which  lies  in  enormous  quantities  around  the  in- 
testines. Of  course,  for  all  cooking  purposes,  the 
fat  would  be  to  them  invaluable,  and  indeed  almost 
necessary  to  render  the  flesh  itself  eatable. 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  get  at  the  fat  in  the  inside 
of  an  elephant,  as  the  whole  of  the  intestines  have 
first  to  be  removed.  But  Swartboy  was  not  to  be 
deterred  by  a  little  trouble  ;  so,  climbing  into  the  inte- 
rior of  the  huge  carcass,  he  commenced  cutting  and 
delving,  and  every  now  and  then  passing  a  multitude 
of  "inwards77  out  to  the  others,  who  carried  them 
off  out  of  the  way. 

After  a  long  spell  of  this  work,  the  fat  was  secured, 
and  carefully  packed  in  a  piece  of  clean  under  skin ; 
and  then  the  "butchering"  was  finished. 

Of  course  the  four  feet,  which  along  with  the 
trunk  are  considered  the  "  tit-bits/7  had  already 
been  separated  at  the  fetlock  joint ;  and  stood  out 
upon  the  bank,  for  the  future  consideration  of 
Swartboy. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done  was  to  "  cure 77  the 
meat.  They  had  a  stock  of  salt  —  that  precious, 
though,  as  lately  discovered,  not  indispensable  arti- 
cle. But  the  quantity  —  stowed  away  in  a  dry  cor- 
ner of  the  wagon  —  was  small,  and  would  have  gone 
but  a  short  way  in  curing  an  elephant. 

They  had  no  idea  of  using  it  for  such  a  purpose. 
Flesh  can  be  preserved  without  salt ;  and  not  only 


150  JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT. 

Swartboy,  but  Von  Bloom  himself,  knew  how  to  pre- 
serve it.  In  all  countries  where  salt  is  scarce,  the 
process  of  "jerking"  meat  is  well  understood,  and 
consists  simply  in  cutting  it  into  thin  strips  and 
hanging  it  out  in  the  sun.  A  few  days  of  bright, 
warm  sunshine  will  "jerk"  it  sufficiently;  and 
meat  thus  dried  will  keep  good  for  months.  A  slow 
fire  will  answer  the  purpose  nearly  as  well ;  and,  in 
the  absence  of  sunshine,  the  fire  is  often  resorted  to. 

Sun-dried  meat  in  South  Africa  is  called  "  bil- 
tongue."  The  Spaniards  of  Mexico  name  it  "tas- 
ajo,"  while  those.,  of  Peru  style  it  "  charqui."  In 
English  it  is  "jerked  "  meat. 

Several  hours  were  spent  in  cutting  the  elephant- 
beef  into  strips  ;  and  then  a  number  of  forked  poles 
were  set  up,  others  were  laid  horizontally  over  the 
forks,  and  upon  these  the  meat  was  suspended,  and 
hung  down  in  numberless  festoons. 

Before  the  sun  went  down,  the  neighborhood  of 
the  camp  presented  a  rare  appearance.  It  looked 
somewhat  like  the  enclosure  of  a  yarn-bleacher,  ex- 
cept that  the  hanging  strips,  instead  of  being  white, 
were  of  a  beautiful  clear  ruby-color. 

But  the  work  was  not  yet  completed.  The  feet 
remained  to  be  "  preserved,"  and  the  mode  of  curing 
these  was  entirely  different.  That  was  a  secret 
known  only  to  Swartboy,  and  in  the  execution  of  it 
the  Bushman  played  first  fiddle,  with  the  important 
air  of  a  chef  de  cuisine. 

He  proceeded  as  follows  : 

He  first  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  about  two  feet 
deep,  and  a  little  more  in  diameter — just  large 


JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT.  151 

enough  to  admit  one  of  the  feet,  which  was  nearly 
two  feet  diameter  at  the  base.  The  earth  which 
came  out  of  this  hole  Swartboy  placed  in  the  form 
of  a  loose  embankment  around  the  edge. 

By  his  direction  the  boys  had  already  collected 
upon  the  spot  a  large  quantity  of  dried  branches  and 
logs.  These  Swartboy  now  built  over  the  hole,  into 
a  pyramid  of  ten  feet  high,  and  then  set  the  pile  on 
fire.  He  next  proceeded  to  make  three  other  pits 
precisely  similar,  and  built  over  each  a  fire  like  the 
first,  until  four  large  fires  were  burning  upon  the 
ground. 

The  fires  being  now  fairly  under  way,  he  could 
only  wait  until  each  had  burned  down.  This  would 
carry  the  process  into  the  night,  and  so  it  turned 
out ;  but  Swartboy  had  a  foresight  of  this.  He  knew 
he  would  get  through  with  the  more  important  por- 
tion of  his  work  before  bedtime. 

When  the  first  fire  had  burned  quite  to  red  cin- 
ders, Swartboy's  hardest  turn  of  duty  began.  With 
a  shovel  he  lifted  the  cinders  out  of  the  hole,  until  it 
was  empty ;  but  he  was  more  than  an  hour  in  per- 
forming this  apparently  simple  labor.  The  difficulty 
arose  from  the  intense  heat  he  had  to  encounter, 
which  drove  him  back  after  every  few  moments' 
work ;  so  that  he  was  compelled  to  retreat  at  inter- 
vals in  order  to  cool  himself. 

The  "  baas/7  as  well  as  Hendrik  and  Hans,  took 
turns  with  him,  until  all  four  were  perspiring  as  if 
they  had  been  shut  up  for  half  an  hour  in  a  baker's 
oven. 

When  the  hole  was  thoroughly  scooped  clean  of 


152  JERKING    AN    ELEPHANT. 

coals,  Swartboy,  assisted  by  Yon  Bloom,  lifted  one 
of  the  huge  feet ;  and,  carrying  it  as  near  as  they 
dare  go  on  account  of  the  scorching  heat,  they 
heaved  it  in  upon  its  base. 

The  sandy  earth  which  had  been  originally  re- 
moved, and  which  was  now  as  hot  as  molten  lead, 
was  pushed  over  and  around  the  foot ;  and  then  the 
cinders  were  raked  on  top,  and  over  that  another 
huge  fire  was  kindled. 

The  same  process  was  gone  through  with  the  other 
three  feet,  and  all  four  were  to  be  left  in  the  "  oven J; 
until  the  fires  should  be  burned  down,  when  they 
would  be  found  sufficiently  "baked  " 

Swartboy  would  then  rake  off  the  cinders,  take 
out  the  feet  with  a  sharp  wooden  spit,  beat  them 
well  to  get  rid  of  the  dust,  scrape  the  sand  clear, 
then  pare  off  the  outside  skin,  when  they  would  be 
ready  either  to  be  eaten  or  would  keep  for  a  long 
time. 

Swartboy  would  do  all  this  as  soon  as  the  four 
huge  bonfires  should  burn  down. 

But  that  would  not  be  before  the  morning  ;  so  all 
of  them,  fatigued  by  the  extraordinary  exertions  of 
the  day,  finished  their  suppers  of  broiled  trunk,  and 
went  to  rest  under  the  protecting  shadow  of  the 
nwana. 


THE    HIDEOUS    HYENA.  153 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   HIDEOUS    HYEXA. 

FATIGUED  as  they  were,  they  would  soon  have  fallen 
asleep.  But  they  were  not  permitted  to  do  so.  As 
they  lay  with  closed  eyes  in  that  half-dreamy  state 
that  precedes  sleep,  they  were  suddenly  startled  by 
strange  voices  near  the  camp. 

These  voices  were  uttered  in  peals  of  loud  laughter ; 
and  no  one,  unacquainted  with  them,  would  have 
pronounced  them  to  be  anything  else  than  the  voices 
of  human  beings.  They  exactly  resembled  the  strong 
treble  produced  by  the  laugh  of  a  maniac  negro.  It 
seemed  as  if  some  Bedlam  of  negroes  had  been  let 
loose,  and  were  approaching  the  spot. 

I  say  approaching,  because  each  moment  the 
sounds  grew  clearer  and  louder  ;  and  it  was  evident 
that  whatever  gave  utterance  to  them  was  coming 
nearer  to  the  camp. 

That  there  was  more  than  one  creature  was  evi- 
dent ;  ay,  and  it  was  equally  evident  that  there 
was  more  than  one  kind  of  creature ;  for  so  varied 
were  the  voices,  it  would  have  puzzled  a  ventrilo- 
quist to  have  given  imitations  of  them  all.  There 
was  howling,  and  whining,  and  grunting,  and  growl- 
ing, and  low  melancholy  moaning  as  of  some  one  in 
pain,  and  hissing,  and  chattering,  and  short,  sharp 


154  THE   HIDEOUS    HYENA. 

intonations,  as  if  it  were  the  barking  of  dogs,  and  then 
a  moment  or  two  of  deep  silence,  and  again  that  cho- 
rus of  human-like  laughter,  that  in  point  of  horror 
and  hideous  suggestions  surpassed  all  the  other 
sounds. 

You  will  suppose  that  such  a  wild  concert  must 
have  put  the  camp  in  a  state  of  great  alarm.  Not  a 
bit  of  it.  Nobody  was  frightened  the  least  —  not 
even  innocent  little  Triiey,  nor  the  diminutive  Jan. 

Had  they  been  strangers  to  these  sounds,  no  doubt 
they  would  have  been  more  than  frightened.  They 
would  have  been  terrified  by  them;  for  they  were 
calculated  to  produce  such  an  effect  upon  any  one  to 
whose  ears  they  were  new. 

But  Von  Bloom  and  his  family  had  lived  too  long 
upon  the  wild  karoo  to  be  ignorant  of  those  voices. 
In  the  howling,  and  chattering,  and  yelping,  they 
heard  but  the  cries  of  the  jackal ;  and  they  well 
knew  the  maniac  laugh  of  the  hideous  hyena. 

Instead  of  being  alarmed,  and  springing  from  their 
beds,  they  lay  still  and  listened,  not  dreading  any 
attack  from  the  noisy  creatures. 

Von  Bloom  and  the  children  slept  in  the  wagon ; 
Swartboy  and  Totty,  upon  the  ground  ;  but  these  lay 
close  to  the  fires,  and  therefore  did  not  fear  wild 
beasts  of  any  kind. 

But  the  hyenas  and  jackals  upon  this  occasion 
appeared  to  be  both  numerous  and  bold.  In  a  few 
minutes  after  they  were  first  heard,  their  cries  rose 
around  the  camp  on  all  sides,  so  near  and  so  loud  as 
to  be  positively  disagreeable,  even  without  consid- 
ering the  nature  of  the  brutes  that  uttered  them. 


THE    HIDEOUS   HYENA.  155 

At  last  they  came  so  close  that  it  was  impossible 
to  look  in  any  direction  without  seeing  a  pair  of 
green  or  red  eyes  gleaming  under  the  light  of  the 
fires.  White  teeth,  too,  could  be  observed,  as  the 
hyenas  opened  their  jaws  to  give  utterance  to  their 
harsh  laughter. 

With  such  a  sight  before  their  eyes,  and  such 
sounds  ringing  in  their  ears,  neither  Von  Bloom  nor 
any  of  his  people,  tired  as  they  were,  could  go  to 
sleep.  Indeed,  not  only  was  sleep  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, but,  worse  than  that,  all,  the  field-cornet  himself 
not  excepted,  began  to  experience  some  feelings  of 
apprehension,  if  not  actual  alarm. 

They  had  never  beheld  a  troop  of  hyenas  so  numer- 
ous and  fierce.  There  could  not  be  less  than  two 
dozen  of  them  around  the  camp,  with  twice  that 
number  of  jackals. 

Von  Bloom  knew  that  although,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  the  hyena  is  not  a  dangerous  animal, 
yet  there  are  places  and  times  when  he  will  attack 
human  beings.  Swartboy  knew  this  well,  and  Hans, 
too,  from  having  read  of  it.  No  wonder,  then,  that 
some  apprehension  was  felt  by  all  of  them. 

The  hyenas  now  behaved  with  such  boldness,  and 
appeared  so  ravenous,  that  sleep  was  out  of  the 
question.  Some  demonstration  must  be  made  to 
drive  the  brutes  away  from  the  camp. 

Von  Bloom,  Hans,  and  Hendrik,  laid  hold  of  their 
guns,  and  got  out  of  the  wagon,  while  Swartboy 
armed  himself  with  his  bow  and  arrows.  All  four  stood 
close  by  the  trunk  of  the  nwana,  on  the  other  side 
from  that  where  the  fires  were.  In  this  place  they 


156  THE    HIDEOUS    HYENA. 

were  in  the  shadow,  where  they  could  best  observe 
anything  that  should  come  under  the  light  of  the  fires 
without  being  themselves  seen.  Their  position  was 
well  chosen. 

They  had  scarcely  fixed  themselves  in  it,  when 
they  perceived  a  great  piece  of  neglect  they  had  been 
guilty  of.  Now,  for  the  first  time,  it  occurred  to 
them  what  had  brought  the  hyenas  around  them  in 
such  numbers.  Beyond  a  doubt  it  was  the  flesh  of 
the  elephant  —  the  biltongue. 

That  was  what  the  beasts  were  after ;  and  all  now 
saw  that  a  mistake  had  been  committed  in  hanging 
the  meat  too  low.  The  hyenas  might  easily  get  at  it. 

This  was  soon  made  manifest ;  for,  even  at  the 
moment  while  they  stood  watching  the  red  festoons, 
plainly  visible  under  the  light  of  Swartboy's  fires,  a 
shaggy  spotted  brute  rushed  forward,  reared  up  on 
his  hind  legs,  seized  one  of  the  pieces,  dragged  it 
down  from  the  pole,  and  then  ran  off  with  it  into  the 
darkness. 

A  rushing  sound  could  be  heard  as  the  others 
joined  him  to  get  share  of  his  plunder ;  and  no 
doubt  in  less  than  half  a  minute  the  morsel  was  con- 
sumed ;  for,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  glancing  eyes 
and  gleaming  teeth  showed  that  the  whole  troop  was 
back  again,  and  ready  to  make  a  fresh  seizure. 

None  of  the  hunters  had  fired,  as  the  nimbleness 
with  which  the  brutes  moved  about  rendered  it  diffi- 
cult to  take  aim  at  any  one  of  them ;  and  all  knew 
that  powder  and  lead  were  too  precious  to  be  wasted 
on  a  "  flying  shot." 

Emboldened  by  their  success,  the  hyenas  had  now 


THE    HIDEOUS    HYENA.  157 

drawn  nearer,  and  in  a  moment  more  would  have 
made  a  general  charge  upon  the  scaffolds  of  flesh, 
and,  no  doubt,  would  have  succeeded  in  carrying  off 
a  large  quantity  of  it.  But  just  then  it  occurred  to 
Yon  Bloom  that  it  would  be  best  to  lay  aside  their 
guns,  and  remedy  the  mistake  they  had  made  by 
putting  the  biltongue  out  of  reach.  If  they  did  not 
do  so,  they  would  either  have  to  remain  awake  all 
night  and  guard  it,  or  else  lose  every  string  of  it. 

How  was  it  to  be  put  out  of  reach  ? 

At  first  they  thought  of  collecting  it  into  a  heap, 
and  stowing  it  away  in  the  wagon.  That  would  not 
only  be  an  unpleasant  job,  but  it  would  interfere 
with  their  sleeping  quarters. 

An  alternative,  however,  presented  itself.  They 
saw  that,  if  the  scaffolds  were  only  high  enough,  the 
meat  might  be  easily  hung  so  as  to  be  out  of  reach 
of  the  hyenas.  The  only  question  was,  how  to  place 
the  cross-poles  a  little  higher.  In  the  darkness  they 
could  not  obtain  a  new  set  of  uprights, —  and  therein 
lay  the  difficulty.  How  were  they  to  get  over  it  ? 

Hans  had  the  credit  of  suggesting  a  way  ;  and 
that  was,  to  take  out  some  of  the  uprights,  splice 
them  to  the  others,  with  the  forked  ends  uppermost, 
and  then  rest  the  horizontal  poles  on  the  upper  forks. 
That  would  give  a  scaffold  tall  enough  to  hang  the 
meat  beyond  the  reach  of  either  jackals  or  hyenas. 

Hans'  suggestion  was  at  once  adopted.  Half  of 
the  uprights  were  taken  up  and  spliced  against  the 
others,  so  as  to  raise  their  forks  full  twelve  feet  in  the 
air ;  and  then  the  cross-poles  were  rested  over  their 
tops.  By  standing  upon  one  of  the  wagon-chests, 


158  THE    HIDEOUS    HYEXA. 

Von  Bloom  was  able  to  fling  the  strips  of  meat  over 
the  horizontal  poles,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  it 
hung  only  a  few  inches  down,  and  was  now  quite 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  ravenous  brutes. 

When  the  business  was  finished,  the  party  resumed 
their  station  under  the  shadow  of  the  tree,  intending 
to  watch  for  a  while,  and  see  how  the  wolfish  in- 
truders would  act. 

They  had  not  long  to  watch.  In  less  than  five 
minutes  the  troop  approached  the  biltongue,  howl- 
ing, and  gibbering,  and  laughing,  as  before ;  only 
this  time  uttering  peculiar  cries,  as  if  to  express  dis- 
appointment. They  saw  at  a  glance  that  the  tempt- 
ing festoons  were  no  longer  within  their  reach. 

They  were  not  going  to  leave  the  ground,  how- 
ever, without  assuring  themselves  of  this  fact ;  and 
several  of  the  largest  approached  boldly  under  the 
scaffolds,  and  commenced  leaping  up  to  try  the 
height. 

After  several  attempts,  springing  each  time  as 
high  as  they  were  able,  they  appeared  to  grow  dis- 
couraged ;  and  no  doubt  would  in  time  have  imitated 
the  fox  with  the  grapes,  and  gone  quietly  away. 
But  Von  Bloom,  indignant  at  being  roused  after  such 
a  fashion  from  his  pleasant  rest,  was  determined  to 
take  some  revenge  upon  his  tormenters ;  so  he 
whispered  the  word  to  the  others,  and  a  volley  was 
delivered  from  behind  the  tree. 

The  unexpected  discharge  caused  a  quick  scatter- 
ing of  both  hyenas  and  jackals,  and  the  pattering  of 
their  numerous  feet  could  be  heard  as  they  ran  off. 
When  the  ground  under  the  scaffold  was  examined, 


THE    HIDEOUS    HYENA.  159 

two  of  the  larger  of  these  ravenous  quadrupeds,  and 
one  of  the  smaller,  were  found  to  have  bitten  the 
dust. 

Swartboy  had  discharged  his  arrow  along  with  the 
guns,  and  it  was  he  that  had  slain  the  jackal,  for  the 
poisoned  shaft  was  seen  sticking  between  the  ani- 
mal's ribs. 

The  guns  were  again  loaded,  the  party  took  their 
stations  as  before  ;  but,  although  they  waited  another 
half-hour,  neither  hyena  nor  jackal  made  their  appear- 
ance. 

They  had  not  gone  far  away,  however,  as  their 
wild  music  testified;  but  the  reason  they  did  not 
return  was,  that  they  had  now  discovered  the  half 
carcass  of  the  elephant  that  lay  in  the  lake,  and 
upon  that  they  were  making  their  supper.  Their 
plunging  in  the  water  could  be  distinctly  heard  from 
the  camp,  and  during  the  whole  night  they  quar- 
relled and  growled,  and  laughed  and  yelled,  as  they 
gorged  themselves  on  their  ample  prey. 

Of  course  Yon  Bloom  and  his  people  did  not  sit 
up  all  night  to  listen  to  this  medley  of  noises.  As 
soon  as  they  perceived  that  the  brutes  were  not 
likely  to  come  any  more  near  the  camp,  they  laid 
aside  their  weapons,  returned  to  their  respective 
sleeping-places,  and  were  all  soon  buried  in  the  sweet 
slumber  that  follows  a  clay  of  healthy  exercise. 


160  STALKING    THE    OUREBI. 


\ 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

STALKING   THE    OUREBI. 

NEXT  morning  the  hyenas  and  jackals  had  disap- 
peared from  the  scene,  and,  to  the  surprise  of  all, 
not  a  particle  of  flesh  was  left  upon  the  bones  of  the 
elephant.  There  lay  the  huge  skeleton  picked  clean, 
the  bones  even  polished  white  by  the  rough  tongues 
of  the  hyenas.  Nay,  still  stranger  to  relate,  two  of 
the  horses  —  these  poor  brutes  had  been  long  since 
left  to  themselves  —  had  been  pulled  down  during  the 
night,  and  their  skeletons  lay  at  a  short  distance 
from  the  camp,  as  cleanly  picked  as  that  of  the 
elephant. 

All  this  was  evidence  of  the  great  number  of  rav- 
enous creatures  that  must  have  their  home  in  that 
quarter  ;  evidence,  too,  that  game  animals  abounded, 
for  where  these  are  not  numerous  the  beasts  of  prey 
cannot  exist.  Indeed,  from  the  quantity  of  tracks 
that  were .  seen  upon  the  shores  of  the  vley,  it  was 
evident  that  animals  of  various  kinds  had  drunk 
there  during  the  night.  There  was  the  round  solid 
hoof  of  the  quagga,  and  his  near  congener  the  dauw ; 
and  there  was  the  neat  hoof-print  of  the  gemsbok, 
and  the  larger  track  of  the  eland  ;  and  among  these 
Von  Bloom  did  not  fail  to  notice  the  spoor  of  the 
dreaded  lion.  Although  •  they  had  not  heard  his 


STALKING    THE    OUREBI.  165 

for  a  similar  purpose.  To  his  chagrin  it  was-  not 
there. 

He  dived  into  both  pockets  of  his  jacket,  then  into 
his  wide  trousers  *  then  under  the  breast  of  his  waist- 
coat. No.  The  handkerchief  was  not  to  be  found. 
Alas- !  'it  had  been  left  in  the  wagon.  It  was  very 
annoying. 

What  else  could  he  make  use  of?  Take  off  his 
jacket  and  hold  it  up  ?  It  was  not  gay  enough  in 
color.  It  would  not  do.  - 

Should  he  raise  his  hat  upon  the  end  of  his  gun  ? 
That  might  be  better,  but  still  it  would  look  too 
much  like  the  human  form,  and  Hendrik  knew  that 
all  animals  feared  that. 

A  happy  thought  at  length  occurred  to  him.  He 
had  heard  that  with  the  curious  antelopes  strange 
forms  or  movements  attract  almost  as  much  as  glar- 
ing colors.  He  remembered  a  trick  that  was  said  to 
be  practised  with  success  by  the  hunters.  It  was 
easy  enough,  and  consisted  merely  in  the  hunter 
standing  upon  his  hands  and  head,  and  kicking  his 
heels  in  the  air. 

Now,  Hendrik  happened  to  be  one  of  those  very 
boys  who  had  often  practised  this  little  bit  of  gym- 
nastics for  amusement ;  and  he  could  stand  upon  his 
head  like  an  acrobat. 

Without  losing  a  moment,  he  placed  his  rifle  upon 
the  ground  between  his  hands,  and,  hoisting  his  feet 
into  the  air,  commenced  kicking  them  about,  clinking 
them  together,  and  crossing  them  in  the  most  fan- 
tastic manner. 

He  had  placed  himself  so  that  his  face  was  turned 


16G  STALKING    THE    OUREBI. 

towards  the  animals,  while  he  stood  upon  his  head 
Of  course  he  could  not  see  them  while  in  this  posi- 
tion, as  the  grass  was  a  foot  high  ;  but,  at  intervals, 
he  permitted  his  feet  to  descend  to  the  earth  ;  anc 
then,  by  looking  between  his  legs,  he  could  tell  ho^ 
the  ruse  was  succeeding. 

It  did  succeed.  The  buck,  on  first  perceiving  the 
strange  object,  uttered  a  sharp  whistle,  and  dartec 
off  with  the  swiftness  of  a  bird  —  for  the  "  ourebi ; 
is  one  of  the  swiftest  of  African  antelopes.  The  do( 
followed,  though  not  so  fast,  and  soon  fell  into  the 
rear. 

The  buck,  perceiving  this,  suddenly  halted,  as  if 
ashamed  of  his  want  of  gallantry,  wheeled  'round 
and  galloped  back,  until  he  was  once  more  betweer 
the  doe  and  the  odd  thing  that  had  alarmed  him. 

What  could  this  odd  thing  be,  he  now  seemec 
to  inquire  of  himself.  It  was  not  a  lion,  nor  a  leop 
ard,  nor  a  hyena,  nor  yet  a  jackal.  It  was  neithe: 
fox,  nor  fennec,  nor  earth-wolf,  nor  wild  hound,  no] 
any  of  his  well-known  enemies.  It  was  not  a  Bush 
man,  neither ;  for  they  are  not  double-headed,  as  ii 
appeared.  What  could  it  be  ?  It  had  kept  its  place 
—  it  had  not  pursued  him.  Perhaps  it  was  not  ai 
all  dangerous.  No  doubt  it  was  harmless  enough. 

So  reasoned  the  ourebi.  His  curiosity  overcame 
his  fear.  He  would  go  a  little  nearer.  He  wouk 
have  a  better  view  of  the  thing  before  he  took  tc 
flight.  No  matter  what  it  was,  it  could  do  no  hurl 
at  that  distance;  and  as  to  overtaking  him  —  pah 
there  wasn't  a  creature,  biped  or  quadruped,  in  ai 
Africa,  that  he  could  not  fling  dust  in  the  face  of. 


HENDRIK    DECODING    THE   OUREBIS.  Page    166. 


STALKING    THE    OUREBI.  16 1 

So  he  went  a  little  nearer,  and  then  a  little  nearer 
still,  and  continued  to  advance  by  successive  runs, 
now  this  way  and  now  that  way,  zigzagging  over 
the  plain,  until  he  was  within  less  than  a  hundred 
paces  of  the  odd  object  that  at  first  sight  had  so 
terrified  him. 

His  companion,  the  doe,  kept  close  after  him, 
and  seemed  quite  as  curious  as  himself — her  large 
shining  eyes  opened  to  their  full  extent,  as  she 
stopped  to  gaze  at  intervals. 

Sometimes  the  two  met  each  other  in  their  course, 
and  halted  a  moment,  as  though  they  held  consulta- 
tion in  whispers,  and  asked  each  other  if  they  had 
yet  made  out  the  character  of  the  stranger. 

It  was  evident,  however,  that  neither  had  done  so, 
as  they  still  continued  to  approach  it  with  looks 
and  gestures  of  inquiry  and  wonder. 

At  length  the  odd  olSject  disappeared  for  a  moment 
under  the  grass;  and  then  reappeared  —  but  this 
time  in  an  altered  form.  Something  about  it  glanced 
brightly  under  the  sun,  and  this  glancing  quite  fas- 
cinated the  buck,  so  that  he  could  not  stir  from  the 
spot,  but  stood  eying  it  steadily. 

Fatal  fascination  !  It  was  his  last  gaze.  A  bright 
flash  shot  up,  something  struck  him  through  the 
heart,  and  he  saw  the  shining  object  no  more. 

The  doe  bounded  forward  to  where  her  mate  had 
fallen,  and  stood  bleating  over  him.  She  knew  not 
the  cause  of  his  sudden  death,  but  she  saw  that  he 
was  dead.  The  wound  in  his  side,  the  stream  of 
red  blood,  were  under  her  eyes.  She  had  never 
witnessed  death  in  that  form  before,  but  she  knew 


168  STALKING    THE    OUREBI. 

her  lover  was-  dead.  His  silence,  his  form  stretchec 
along  the  grass  motionless  and  limber,  his  glassy 
eyes,  all  told  her  he  had  ceased  to  live. 

She  would  have  fled,  but  she  could  not  leave  hin 
—  she  could  not  bear  to  part  even  from  his  lifelesi 
form.  She  would  remain  a  while,  and  mourn  ove 
him. 

Her  widowhood  was  a  short  one.  Again  flashe< 
the  priming,  again  cracked  the  shining  tube,  am 
the  sorrowing  doe  fell  over  upon  the  body  of  he 
mate. 

The  young  hunter  rose  to  his  feet,  and  ran  foi 
ward.  He  did  not,  according  to  usual  custom,  sto 
to  load  before  approaching  his  quarry.  The  plai 
was  perfectly  level,  and  he  saw  no  other  animal  upo: 
it.  What  was  his  surprise,  on  reaching  the  antelopes 
to  perceive  that  there  was  a  third  one  of  the  partj 
still  alive. 

Yes,  a  little  fawn,  not  taller  than  a  rabbit,  wa 
bounding  about  through  the  grass,  running  aroun 
the  prostrate  body  of  its  mother,  and  uttering  it 
tiny  bleat. 

Hendrik  was  surprised,  because  he  had  not  ol 
served  this  creature  before  ;  but,  indeed,  he  had  nc 
seen  much  of  the  antelopes  until  the  moment  c 
taking  aim,  and  the  grass  had  concealed  the  tin 
young  one. 

Hunter  as  Hendrik  was,  he  could  not  help  feelin 
strongly  as  he  regarded  the  tableau  before  hin 
But  he  felt  that  he  had  not  wantonly  destroyed  thes 
creatures  for  mere  amusement,  and  that  satisfied  h 
conscience. 


STALKING   THE    OUREBI.  169 

The  little  fawn  would  make  a  famous  pet  for  Jan, 
who  had  often  wished  for  one,  to  be  equal  with  his 
sister.  It  could  be  fed  upon  the  cow's  milk,  and, 
though  it  had  lost  both  father  and  mother,  Hendrik 
resolved  that  it  should  be  carefully  brought  up.  He 
had  no  difficulty  in  capturing  it,  as  it  refused  to  leave 
the  spot  where  its  mother  lay,  and  Hendrik  soon 
held  the  gentle  creature  in  his  arms. 

He  then  tied  the  buck  and  doe  together  ;  and, 
having  fastened  a  strong  cord  round  the  horns  of 
the  latter,  he  set  off,  dragging  the  two  antelopes 
behind  him. 

As  these  lay  upon  the  ground,  heads  foremost, 
they  were  drawn  ivith  the  grain  of  the  hair,  which 
made  it  much  easier  ;  and  as  there  was  nothing  but 
grass  sward  to  be  passed  over,  the  young  hunter 
succeeded  in  taking  the  whole  of  his  game  to  camp 
without  any  great  difficulty. 

The  joy  of  all  was  great,  at  seeing  such  a  fine  lot 
of  venison  ;  but  Jan's  rejoicing  was  greater  than  all, 
and  he  no  longer  envied  Triiey  the  possession  of  her 
little  gazelle. 


170 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

LITTLE    JAN'S    ADVENTURE. 

IT  would  have  been  better  that  Jan  had  never 
seen  the  little  "  ourebi," —  better  both  for  Jan  and 
the  antelope,  for  that  night  the  innocent  creature 
was  the  cause  of  a  terrible  panic  in  the  camp. 

They  had  all  gone  to  sleep  as  on  the  previous 
night, —  Von  Bloom  and  the  four  children  in  the 
wagon,  while  the  Bushman  and  Totty  slept  upon  the 
grass.  The  latter  lay  under  the  wagon  ;  but  Swart- 
boy  had  kindled  a  large  fire  a  little  distance  from 
it,  and  beside  this  had  stretched  himself,  rolled  up 
in  his  sheep-skin  kaross. 

They  had  all  gone  to  sleep  without  being  disturbed 
by  the  hyenas.  This  was  easily  accounted  for. 
The  three  horses  that  had  been  shot  that  day  occu- 
pied the  attention  of  these  gentry,  for  their  hideous 
voices  could  be  heard  off  in  the  direction  where  the 
carcasses  lay.  Having  enough  to  give  them  a  sup- 
per, they  found  no  occasion  to  risk  themselves  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  camp,  where  they  had 
experienced  such  a  hostile  reception  on  the  previous 
night.  So  reasoned  Von  Bloom,  as  he  turned  over 
and  fell  asleep. 

He  did  not  reason  correctly,  however.  It  was 
true  that  the  hyenas  were  just  then  making  a  meal 


upon  the  horses  ;  but  it  was  a  mistake  to  suppose 
that  that  would  satisfy  these  ravenous  brutes,  who 
never  seem  to  have  enough.  Long  before  morning, 
had  Von  Bloom  been  awake,  he  would  have  heard  the 
maniac  laugh  closer  to  the  camp,  and  might  have 
seen  the  green  eyes  of  the  hyena  glancing  under  the 
expiring  blaze  of  Swartboy's  camp-fire. 

Indeed,  he  had  heard  the  beasts  once  that  he 
awoke ;  but,  knowing  that  the  biltongue  had  been 
this  night  placed  out  of  their  reach,  and  thinking 
that  there  was  nothing  to  which  they  could  do  any 
harm,  he  gave  no  heed  to  their  noisy  demonstra- 
tions, and  went  to  sleep  again. 

He  was  awakened,  however,  by  a  shrill  squeak, 
as  of  some  animal  in  the  agonies  of  death  ;  and  then 
there  was  a  second  squeak,  that  seemed  to  be  sud- 
denly interrupted  by  the  stifling  of  the  creature's 
utterance. 

In  these  cries  Von  Bloom,  as  well  as  the  others, — 
who  were  now  also  awake, —  recognized  the  bleat  of 
the  ourebi,  for  they  had  heard  it  several  times  during 
the  afternoon. 

"  The  hyenas  are  killing  it !  "  thought  they.  But 
they  had  not  time  to  say  so,  before  another  and  far 
different  cry  reached  their  ears,  and  caused  them  all 
to  start  as  if  a  bomb-shell  had  burst  under  the 
wagon.  That  cry  was  the  voice  of  Jan,  and  sounded 
in  the  same  direction  whence  came  the  scream  of  the 
stifled  antelope. 

"  0  heaven  !  what  could  it  mean  ?  " 

The  child's  voice  first  reached  them  in  a  sudden 
screech,  then  there  was  a  confused  noise  resem- 


112  LITTLE    JAN'S    ADVENTURE. 

bling  a  scuffle,  and  Jan  was  again  heard  crying 
aloud  for  help,  while  at  the  same  time  his  voice  was 
interrupted,  and  each  call  appeared  to  come  from  a 
greater  distance.  Something  or  somebody  was  carry- 
ing him  off  I 

This  idea  occurred  to  Yon  Bloom,  Hans,  and 
Hendrik,  at  the  same  instant.  Of  course  it  filled 
them  with  consternation  ;  and,  as  they  were  scarce 
yet  awake,  they  knew  not  what  to  do. 

The  cries  of  Jan,  however,  soon  brought  them  to 
their  senses ;  and  to  run  towards  the  direction 
whence  these  came  was  the  first  thought  of  all. 

To  grope  for  their  guns  would  waste  time,  and  all 
three  leaped  out  of  the  wagon  without  them. 

Totty  was  upon  her  feet  and  jabbering,  but  she 
knew  no  more  than  they  what  had  happened. 

They  did  not  stop  long  to  question  her.  The 
voice  of  Swartboy,  uttered  in  loud  barks  and  clicks, 
summoned  them  elsewhere  ;  and  they  now  beheld  a 
red  flaming  brand  rushing  through  the  darkness, 
which  no  doubt  was  carried  in  the  hands  of  that 
worthy. 

They  started  off  in  the  direction  of  the  blazing 
torch,  and  ran  as  fast  as  they  could.  They  still 
heard  the  Bushman's  voice,  and  to  their  dismay 
beyond  it  the  screams  of  little  Jan. 

Of  course  they  could  not  tell  what  was  causing 
all  this.  They  only  pressed  on,  with  fearful  appre- 
hensions. 

When  they  had  got  within  some  fifty  paces  of  the 
torch,  they  perceived  it  suddenly  descend,  then 
raised  again,  and  again  brought  down,  in  a  rapid 


113 

and  violent  manner.  They  could  hear  the  voice  of 
the  Bushman  barking  and  clicking  louder  than  ever, 
as  though  he  was  engaged  in  chastising  some  creature. 

But  Jan's  voice  they  no  longer  heard  —  he  was 
screaming  no  more  ;  was  he  dead  ? 

With  terrible  forebodings  they  rushed  on. 

When  they  arrived  upon  the  spot,  a  singular  pic- 
ture presented  itself  to  their  eyes.  Jan  lay  upon  the 
ground,  close  in  by  the  roots  of  some  bushes  which 
he  was  holding  tightly  in  his  grasp.  From  one  of 
his  wrists  extended  a  stout  thong,  or  rheim,  which 
passed  through  among  the  bushes  to  the  distance 
of  several  feet,  and  fast  to  the  other  end  was  the 
ourebi  fawn,  dead,  and  terribly  mangled.  Over  the 
spot  stood  Swartboy  with  his  burning  tree,  which 
blazed  all  the  brighter  that  he  had  just  been  using  it 
over  the  back  of  a  ravenous  hyena.  The  latter  was 
not  in  sight.  It  had  long  since  skulked  off ;  but  no 
one  thought  of  pursuit,  as  all  were  too  anxious  about 
Jan. 

No  time  was  lost  in  lifting  the  child  to  his  feet. 
The  eyes  of  all  ran  eagerly  over  him  to  see  where, 
he  was  wounded,  and  an  exclamation  of  joy  soon 
broke  forth,  when  they  saw  that,  except  the  scratches 
of  the  thorns,  and  the  deep  track  of  a  cord  upon  his 
wrist,  nothing  in  the  shape  of  a  wound  could  be  dis- 
covered upon  tyts  diminutive  body.  He  had  now 
come  to  himself,  and  assured  them  all  that  he  was 
not  hurt  a  bit.  Hurra  !  Jan  was  safe  ! 

It  now  fell  to  Jan's  lot  to  explain  all  this  myste- 
rious business. 

He  had  been  lying  in  the  wagon  along  with  the 


114  LITTLE    JAN'S  ADVENTURE. 

rest,  but  not,  like  them,  asleep.  No.  He  could  not 
sleep  a  wink  for  thinking  on  his  new  pet,  which,  for 
want  of  room  in  the  wagon,  had  been  left  below,  tied 
to  one  of  the  wheels. 

Jan  had  taken  it  into  his  head  that  he  would  like 
to  have  another  look  at  the  ourebi  before  going  to 
sleep.  So,  without  saying  a  word  to  any  one,  he 
crept  out  of  the  cap-tent,  and  descended  to  where 
the  antelope  was  tied.  He  unloosed  it  gently,  and 
then  led  it  forward  to  the  light  of  the  fire,  where  he 
sat  down  to  admire  the  creature. 

After  gazing  upon  it  for  some  time  with  delight, 
he  thought  that  Swartboy  could  not  do  otherwise 
than  share  his  feelings  ;  and,  without  more  ado,  he 
shook  the  Bushman  awake. 

The  latter  had  no  great  stomach  for  being  roused 
out  of  sleep  to  look  at  an  animal,  hundreds  of  which 
he  had  eaten  in  his  time.  But  Jan  and  Swartboy 
were  sworn  friends,  and  the  Bushman  was  not  angry. 
He  therefore  indulged  his  young  master  in  the  fancy 
he  had  taken,  and  the  two  sat  for  a  while  conversing 
about  the  pet. 

At  length  Swartboy  proposed  sleep.  Jan  would 
agree  to  this  only  upon  the  terms  that  Swartboy  would 
allow  him  to  sleep  alongside  of  him.  He  would 
bring  his  blanket  from  the  wagon,  and  would  not 
trouble  Swartboy  by  requiring  part  of  the  latter's 
kaross. 

Swartboy  objected  at  first,  but  Jan  urged  that  he 
had  felt  cold  in  the  wagon,  and  that  was  partly  why 
he  had  come  down  to  the  fire.  All  this  was  sheer 
cunning  in  the  little  imp.  But  Swartboy  could  not 


LITTLK    JAN'ri    ADVENTUKE. 


LITTLE   JAN'S  ADVENTURE.  175 

refuse  him  anything,  and  at  length  consented.  He 
could  see  no  harm  in  it,  as  there  were  no  signs  of 
rain. 

Jan  then  returned  to  the  wagon,  climbed  noise- 
lessly up,  drew  out  his  own  blankets,  and  brought 
them  to  the  fire.  He  then  wrapped  himself  up,  and 
lay  down  alongside  of  Swartboy,  with  the  ourebi 
standing  near,  and  in  such  a  situation  that  he  could 
still  have  his  eyes  upon  it,  even  when  lying.  To 
secure  it  from  wandering,  he  had  fastened  a  strong 
rheim  around  its  neck,  the  other  end  of  which  he  had 
looped  tightly  upon  his  own  wrist. 

He  lay  for  some  time  contemplating  his  beautiful 
pet.  But  sleep  at  length  overcame  him,  and  the  im- 
age of  the  ourebi  melted  before  his  eyes. 

Beyond  this,  Jan  could  tell  little  of  what  happened 
to  him.  He  was  awakened  by  a  sudden  jerking  at 
his  wrist,  and  hearing  the  antelope  scream.  But  he 
had  not  quite  opened  his  eyes  before  he  felt  himself 
dragged  violently  over  the  ground. 

He  thought  at  first  it  was  Swartboy  playing  some 
trick  upon  him ;  but,  as  he  passed  the  fire,  he  saw 
by  its  light  that  it  was  a  huge  black  animal  that  had 
seized  the  ourebi,  and  was  dragging  both  him  and  it 
along. 

Of  course  he  then  began  to  scream  for  help,  and 
caught  at  everything  he  could  to  keep  himself  from 
being  carried  away.  But  he  could  lay  hold  of  nothing 
until  he  found  himself  among  thick  bushes,  and  these 
he  seized  and  held  with  all  his  might. 

He  could  not  have  held  out  long  against  the 
strength  of  the  hyena ;  but  it  was  just  at  that  mo- 


176 

ment  that  Swartboy  came  up  with  his  firebrand,  and 
beat  off  the  ravisher  with  a  shower  of  blows. 

When  they  got  back  to  the  light  of  the  fire,  they 
found  that  Jan  was  all  right.  But  che  poor  ourebi — 
it  had  been  sadly  mauled,  and  was  now  of  no  more 
value  than  a  dead  rat. 


A  CHAPTER  UPON  HYENAS.  Iff 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

A    CHAPTER    UPON    HYENAS. 

HYENAS  are  wolves,  only  wolves  of  a  particular 
kind.  They  have  the  same  general  haBits  as  wolves, 
and  much  of  their  look.  They  have  heavier  heads, 
broader,  thicker  muzzles,  shorter  and  stouter  necks, 
and  altogether  a  coarser  and  shaggier  coat.  One  of 
the  most  characteristic  marks  of  the  hyena  is  the 
inequality  in  the  development  of  its  limbs.  The 
hind-legs  appear  weaker  and  shorter  than  the  fore 
ones,  so  that  the  rump  is  far  lower  than  the  should- 
ers, and  the  line  of  the  back,  instead  of  being  hori- 
zontal, as  in  most  animals,  droops  obliquely  towards 
the  tail. 

The  short,  thick  neck,  and  strong  jaws,  are  charac- 
teristics ;  the  former  so  much  so  that  in  the  days  of 
fabulous  natural  history  the  hyena  was  said  to  be 
without  cervical  vertebras.  Its  thick  neck  and  pow- 
erful jaw-bones  have  their  uses.  It  is  by  virtue  of 
these  that  the  hyena  can  make  a  meal  upon  bones, 
which  would  be  of  no  use  whatever  to  the  ordinary 
wolf,  or  other  beast  of  prey.  It  can  break  almost  the 
largest  and  strongest  joints,  and  not  only  extract 
their  marrow,  but  crush  the  bones  themselves,  and 
swallow  them  as  food.  Here,  again,  we  have  proof 
of  nature's  design.  It  is  just  where  these  large 
12 


178  A    CHAPTER    UPON    HYENAS. 

bones  are  found  in  greatest  plenty  that  we  find  the 
hyena.  Nature  suffers  nothing  to  be  wasted. 

Hyenas  are  the  wolves  of  Africa  ;  that  is;  they  are 
in  Africa  the  representatives  of  the  large  wolf,  which 
does  not  exist  there.  It  is  true  the  jackal  is  a  wolf 
in  every  respect,  but  only  a  small  one  ;  and  there  is 
no  true  wolf  in  Africa  of  the  large  kind,  such  as  the 
gaunt  robber  of  the  Pyrenees,  or  his  twin  brother  of 
America.  But  the  hyena  is  the  wolf  of  Africa. 

And  of  all  wolves  he  is  the  ugliest  and  most  brute- 
like.  There  is  not  a  graceful  or  beautiful  bit  about 
him.  In  fact,  I  was  about  to  pronounce  him  the  ug- 
liest animal  in  creation,  when  the  baboons  came  into 
my  mind.  They,  of  course,  exhibit  the  ne  plus  ultra 
of  ugliness  ;  and  indeed  the  hyenas  are  not  at  all  un- 
like them  in  general  aspect,  as  well  as  in  some  of 
their  habits.  Some  early  writers  even  classed  them 
together. 

Now,  we  have  been  speaking  of  the  hyena  as  if 
there  was  but  one  species.  For  a  long  time  but  one 
was  known,  —  the  common  or  "striped  hyena "  (Hy- 
ena vulgaris), — and  it  was  about  this  one  that  so 
many  false  stories  have  been  told.  Perhaps  no  other 
animal  has  held  so  conspicuous  a  place  in  the  world 
of  mystery  and  horror.  Neither  vampire  nor  dragon 
have  surpassed  him.  Our  ancestors  believed  that  he 
could  fascinate  any  one  with  his  glance,  lure  them 
after  him,  and  then  devour  them  ;  that  he  changed 
his  sex  every  year  ;  that  he  could  transform  himself 
into  a  comely  youth,  and  thus  beguile  young  maidens 
off  into  the  woods  to  be  eaten  up  ;  that  he  could  im- 
itate the  human  voice  perfectly  ;  that  it  was  his  cus- 


A  CHAPTER  UPON  HYENAS.  179 

torn  to  conceal  himself  near  a  house,  listen  until  the 
name  of  one  of  the  family  should  be  mentioned,  then 
call  out  as  if  for  assistance,  pronouncing  the  name 
he  had  heard,  and  imitating  the  cries  of  one  in  dis- 
tress. This  would  bring  out  the  person  called,  who, 
of  course,  on  reaching  the  spot,  would  find  only  a 
fierce  hyena  ready  to  devour  him. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  all  these  absurd  stories 
were  once  very  generally  believed ;  and,  strange  as 
it  may  seem  in  me  to  say,  not  one  of  them  but  has 
some  foundation.  Exaggerated  as  they  are,  they  all 
owe  their  origin  to  natural  facts.  There  is  a. pecu- 
liarity about  the  glance  of  the  hyena  that  has  given 
birth  to  the  notion  of  his  possessing  the  power  to 
1 '  charm,"  or  fascinate  ;  there  are  peculiarities  about 
his  conformation  that  have  led  to  the  belief  in  a 
change  of  sex ;  there  is  a  peculiarity  about  the  ani- 
mal's voice  that  might  well  gain  him  credit  for 
imitating  the  human  voice,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  the  former  bears  a  very  near  resemblance  to 
the  latter.  I  do  not  say  that  the  voice  of  the  hyena 
is  like  the  ordinary  human  voice,  but  there  are  some 
voices  it  does  exactly  resemble.  I  am  acquainted 
with  several  people  who  have  hyena  voices.  In  fact, 
one  of  the  closest  imitations  of  a  human  laugh  is 
that  of  the  "  spotted  hyena. "  No  one  can  hear  it, 
hideous  as  it  is,  without  being  amused  at  its  close 
approximation  to  the  utterance  of  a  human  being. 
There  is  a  dash  of  the  maniac  in  its  tones,  and  it  re- 
minds me  of  the  sharp,  metallic  ring  which  I  have 
noticed  in  the  voices  of  negroes.  I  have  already 


<<* 


180  A    CHAPTER    UPON    HYENAS. 

* 

compared  it  to  what  I  should  fancy  would  be  the 
laugh  of  a  maniac  negro. 

The  striped  hyena,  although  the  best  known,  is,  in 
my  opinion,  the  least  interesting  of  his  kind.  He  is 
more  widely  distributed  than  any  of  his  congeners. 
Found  in  most  parts  of  Africa,  he  is  also  an  Asiatic 
animal,  is  common  enough  throughout  all  the  south- 
ern countries  of  Asia,  and  is  even  found  as  far  north 
as  the  Caucasus  and  the  Altai.  He  is  the  only  spe- 
cies that  exists  in  Asia.  All  the  others  are  natives 
of  Africa,  which  is  the  true  home  of  the  hyena. 

Naturalists  admit  but  three  species  of  hyena.  I 
have  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  there  are  twice  that 
number,  as  distinct  from  each  other  as  these  three 
are.  Five,  at  least,  I  know,  without  reckoning  as 
hyenas  either  the  "  wild  hound  "  of  the  Cape,  or  the 
little  burrowing  hyena  (Proteles),  both  of  which  we 
shall  no  doubt  meet  with  in  the  course  of  our  hunt- 
ing adventures. 

First,  then,  we  have  the  "  striped  "  hyena,  already 
mentioned.  He  is  usually  of  an  ashy-gray  color, 
with  a  slight  yellowish  tinge,  and  a  set  of  irregular 
striae,  or  stripes  of  black  or  dark  brown.  These  are 
placed  transversely  to  the  length  of  his  body,  or 
rather  obliquely,  following  nearly  the  direction  of  the 
ribs.  They  are  not  equally  well  defined  or  conspic- 
uous in  different  individuals  of  the  species.  The 
hair,  like  that  of  all  hyenas,  is  long,  harsh,  and 
shaggy,  but  longer  over  the  neck,  shoulders,  and 
back,  where  it  forms  a  mane.  This  becomes  erect 
when  the  animal  is  excited.  The  same  may  be  ob- 
served among  dogs. 


A  CHAPTER  UPON  HYENAS.  181 

The  common  hyena  is  far  from  being  either  strong 
or  brave,  when  compared  with  the  others  of  his  kind. 
He  is,  in  fact,  the  weakest  and  least  ferocious  of  the 
family.  He  is  sufficiently  voracious,  but  lives  chiefly 
on  carrion,  and  will  not  dare  attack  living  creatures 
of  half  his  own  strength.  He  preys  only  on  the 
snallest  quadrupeds,  and  with  all  his  voracity  he  is 
an  arrant  poltroon.  A  child  of  ten  years  will  easily 
put  him  to  flight. 

A  second  species  is  the  hyena  which  so  much  an- 
noyed the  celebrated  Bruce,  while  travelling  in  Ab* 
yssinia,  and  may  be  appropriately  named  "  Brace's 
hyena."  This  is  also  a  striped  hyena,  and  nearly  all 
naturalists  have  set  him  down  as  of  the  same  species 
with  the  Hyena  vulgaris.  Excepting  the  "  stripes," 
there  is  no  resemblance  whatever  between  the  two 
species;  and  even  these  are  differently  arranged, 
while  the  ground-color  also  differs. 

Bruce's  hyena  is  nearly  twice  the  size  of  the  com- 
mon kind,  with  twice  his  strength,  courage,  and 
ferocity.  The  former  will  attack  not  only  large 
quadrupeds,  but  man  himself ;  will  enter  houses  by 
night,  even  villages,  and  carry  off  domestic  animals 
and  children. 

Incredible  as  these  statements  may  appear,  about 
their  truth  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  such  occurrences 
are  by  no  means  rare. 

This  hyena  has  the  reputation  of  entering  grave- 
yards, and  disinterring  the  dead  bodies  to  feed  upon 
them.  Some  naturalists  have  denied  this.  For  what 
reason?  It  is  well  known  that  in  many  parts  of 
Africa  the  dead  are  not  interred,  but  thrown  out  on 


182  A    CHAPTER    UPON    HYENAS. 

the  plains.  It  is  equally  well  known  that  the  hyenas 
devour  the  bodies  so  exposed.  It  is  known,  too, 
that  the  hyena  is  a  •"  terrier  "  —  a  burrowing  animal. 
What  is  there  strange  or  improbable  in  supposing 
that  it  burrows  to  get  at  the  bodies,  its  natural  food  ? 
The  wolf  does  so,  the  jackal,  the  coyote,  ay,  even 
the  dog.  I  have  seen  all  of  them  at  it  on  the  battle- 
field. Why  not  the  hyena  ? 

A  third  species  is  very  distinct  from  either  of  the 
two  described  —  the  "spotted  hyena "  (Hyena  cro- 
cuta).  This  is  also  sometimes  called  the  "  laughing  " 
hyena,  from  the  peculiarity  we  have  had  occasion  to 
speak  of.  This  species  in  general  color  is  not  un- 
like the  common  kind,  except  that  instead  of  stripes 
his  sides  are  covered  with  spots.  He  is  larger  than 
the  Hyena  vulgaris,  and  in  character  resembles 
Bruce 's,  or  the  Abyssinian  hyena.  He  is  a  native 
of  the  southern  half  of  Africa,  where  he  is  known 
among  the  Dutch  colonists  as  the  "  tiger-wolf/'  while 
the  common  hyena  is  by  them  simply  called  "  wolf." 

A  fourth  species  is  the  "  brown  hyena  "  (Hyena 
viltosa).  The  name  "brown"  hyena  is  not  a  good 
one,  as  brown  color  is  by  no  means  a  characteristic 
of  this  animal.  Hyena  villosa,  or  "hairy  hyena/'  is 
better,  as  the  long,  straight  hair,  falling  down  his 
sides,  gives  him  a  peculiar  aspect,  and  at  once  dis- 
tinguishes him  from  any  of  the  others.  He  is  equally 
as  large  and  fierce  as  any,  being  of  the  size  of  a 
St.  Bernard  mastiff ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  imagine  how 
any  one  could  mistake  jiim  for  either  a  striped  or 
spotted  hyena.  His  color  is  dark  brown  or  nearly 
black  above,  and  dirty  gray  beneath.  In  fact,  in 


A    CHAPTER    UPON   HYENAS.  183 

general  color  and  the  arrangement  of  his  hair,  he  is 
not  unlike  a  badger  or  wolverene. 

And  yet  many  naturalists  describe  this  as  being 
of  the  same  species  as  the  common  hyena  —  the 
learned  De  Blainville  among  the  rest.  The  most 
ignorant  boor  of  South  Africa  —  for  he  is  a  South 
African  animal  —  knows  better  than  this.  Their 
very  appellation  of  "  straand-wolf "  points  out  his 
different  habits  and  haunts  ;  for  he  is  a  sea-shore  ani- 
mal, and  not  even  found  in  such  places  as  are  the 
favorite  resorts  of  the  common  hyena. 

There  is  still  another  "brown  hyena,"  which  dif- 
fers altogether  from  this  one,  and  is  an  inhabitant  of 
the  Great  Desert.  He  is  shorter-haired,  and  of  uni- 
form brown  color,  but  like  the  rest  in  habits  and  gen- 
eral character.  No  doubt,  when  the  central  parts  of 
Africa  liave  been  thoroughly  explored,  several  species 
of  hyena  will  be  added  to  the  list  of  those  already 
known. 

The  habits  of  the  hyenas  are  not  unlike  those  of 
the  larger  wolves.  They  dwell  in  caves,  or  clefts  of 
rocks.  Some  of  them  use  the  burrows  of  other  ani- 
mals for  their  lair,  which  they  can  enlarge  for  them- 
selves, as  they  are  provided  with  burrowing  claws. 

They  are  not  tree-climbers,  as  their  claws  are  not 
sufficiently  retractile  for  that.  It  is  in  their  teeth 
their  main  dependence  lies,  and  in  the  great  strength 
of  their  jaws. 

Hyenas  are  solitary  animals,  though  often  troops 
of  them  are  seen  together,  attracted  by  the  common 
prey.  A  dozen  or  more  will  meet  over  a  carcass,  but 
each  goes  his  own  way  on  leaving  it.  They  are  ex- 


184  A    CHAPTER   UPON    HYENAS. 

tremely  voracious  — will  eat  up  almost  anything,  even 
scraps  of  leather  or  old  shoes  !  Bones  they  break  and 
swallow  as  though  these  were  pieces  of  tender  flesh. 
They  are  bold,  particularly  with  the  poor  natives, 
who  do  not  hunt  them  with  a  view  to  extermination. 
They  enter  the  miserable  kraals  of  the  natives,  and 
often  carry  off  their  children.  It  is  positively  true 
that  hundreds  of  children  have  been  destroyed  by 
hyenas  in  Southern  Africa. 

It  is  difficult  for  you  to  comprehend  why  this  is 
permitted  ;  why  there  is  not  a  war  of  extermination 
carried  on  against  the  hyenas,  until  these  brutes  are 
driven  out  of  the  land.  You  cannot  comprehend 
such  a  state  of  things,  because  you  do  not  take  into 
account  the  difference  between  savage  and  civil- 
ized existence.  You  will  suppose  that  human  life  in 
Africa  is  held  of  far  less  value  than  it  is  in  England ; 
but,  if  you  thoroughly  understood  political  science, 
you  would  discover  that  many  a  law  of  civilized  life 
calls  for  its  victims  in  far  greater  numbers  than  do 
the  hyenas.  The  empty  review,  the  idle  court  fete, 
the  reception  of  an  emperor,  all  require,  as  their  nat- 
ural sequence,  the  sacrifice  of  many  lives. 


A    HOUSE    AMONG    THE    TREE-TOPS.  185 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

A    HOUSE    AMONG   THE   TREE-TOPS. 

VON  BLOOM  now  reflected  that  the  hyenas  were 
likely  to  prove  a  great  pest  to  him.  No  meat,  nor 
anything,  would  be  safe  from  them  ;  even  his  very 
children  would  be  in  danger,  if  left  alone  in  the 
camp  ;  and  no  doubt  he  would  often  be  compelled 
to  leave  them,  as  he  would  require  the  older  ones 
upon  his  hunting  excursions. 

There  were  other  animals  to  be  dreaded  still  more 
than  the  hyenas.  Even  during  that  night  they  had 
heard  the  roaring  of  lions  down  by  the  vley ;  and, 
when  it  was  morning,  the  spoor  showed  that  several 
of  these  animals  had  drunk  at  the  water. 

How  could  he  leave  little  Triiey  —  his  dear  little 
Triiey  —  or  Jan,  who  was  not  a  bit  bigger  —  how 
could  he  leave  them  in  an  open  camp  while  such 
monsters  were  roving  about  ?  He  could  not  think 
of  doing  so. 

He  reflected  what  course  he  should  pursue.  At 
first  he  thought  of  putting  up  a  house.  That  would 
necessarily  be  a  work  of  time.  There  was  no  good 
building  material  convenient.  A  stone  house  would 
cost  a  great  deal  of  labor,  as  the  stones  would  have 
to  be  carried  nearly  a  mile,  and  in  their  hands,  too. 
That  would  never  do,  as  Von  Bloom  might  only 


186  A    HOUSE    AMONG   THE    TREE-TOPS. 

remain  a  short  while  at  that  place.  He  might  not 
find  many  elephants  there  ;  and,  of  course,  would  be 
under  the  necessity  of  going  elsewhere. 

Why  not  build  a  log  house  ?  you  will  say.  That 
would  not  be  so  much  of  a  job,  as  part  of  the  country 
was  well  wooded,  and  they  had  an  axe. 

True,  part  of  the  country  was  wooded,  but  in  a 
particular  manner.  With  the  exception  of  the  nwana- 
trees,  that  stood  at  long  distances  apart,  and  reg- 
ularly as  if  they  had  been  planted,  there  was 
nothing  that  deserved  the  name  of  timber.  All  the 
rest  was  mere  "  bush/' — a  thorny  jungle  of  mimosas, 
euphorbias,  arborescent  aloes,  strelitzias,  and  the 
horrid  zamia  plants,  beautiful  enough  to  the  eye,  but 
of  no  utility  whatever  in  the  building  of  a  house. 
The  nwanas,  of  course,  were  too  large  for  house-logs. 
To  have  felled  one  of  them  would  have  been  a  task 
equal  almost  to  the  building  of  a  house  ;  and  to  have 
made  planks  of  them  would  have  required  a  steam 
saw-mill.  A  log  house  was  not  to  be  thought  of 
either. 

Now,  a  frail  structure  of  poles  and  thatch  would 
not  have  given  sufficient  security.  An  angry  rhi- 
noceros, or  elephant,  would  level  such  a  house  to 
the  ground  in  a  few  moments. 

Suppose,  too,  that  there  were  man-eaters  in  the 
neighborhood.  Swartboy  believed  that  there  were, 
and  that  that  region  was  notorious  for  them.  As  it 
was  not  far  from  Swartboy's  native  country,  Yon 
Bloom,  who  had  reason  to  believe  what  the  Bushman 
told  him,  was  inclined  to  credit  this.  What  protec- 


A    HOUSE    AMONG    THE    TREE-TOPS.  18t 

tion  would  a  frail  house  afford  against  the  man-eater  ? 
Not  much,  indeed. 

Von  Bloom  was  puzzled  and  perplexed.  He  could 
not  commence  his  hunting  excursions  until  this  ques- 
tion was  settled.  Some  place  must  be  prepared, 
where  the  children  would  be  safe  during  his  absence. 

While  revolving  the  subject  in  his  mind,  he  hap- 
pened to  cast  his  eyes  upward  among  the  branches 
of  the  nwana-tree.  All  at  once  his  attention  became 
fixed  upon  those  huge  limbs,  for  they  had  awakened 
within  him  a  strange  memory.  He  remembered  hav- 
ing heard  that,  in  some  parts  of  the  country,  and 
perhaps  riot  very  far  from  where  he  then  was,  the 
natives  live  in  trees.  That  sometimes  a  whole  tribe, 
of  fifty  or  more,  make  their  home  in  a  single  tree  ;  and 
do  so  to  secure  themselves  against  savage  beasts,  and 
sometimes  equally  savage  men.  That  they  build 
their  houses  upon  platforms,  which  they  erect  upon 
the  horizontal  branches ;  and  that  they  ascend  by 
means  of  ladders,  which  are'  drawn  up  after  them  at 
night  when  they  go  to  rest. 

All  this  Von  Bloom  had  heard,  and  all  of  it  is  pos- 
itively true.  Of  course  the  reflection  occurred  to 
him,  why  could  he  not  do  the  same  ?  Why  could  he 
not  build  a  house  in  the  gigantic  nwana?  That 
would  give  him  all  the  security  he  desired.  There 
they  could  all  sleep  with  perfect  confidence  of  safety. 
There,  on  going  out  to  hunt,  he  could  leave  the  chil- 
dren, with  the  certainty  of  finding  them  on  his  re- 
turn. An  admirable  idea !  —  how  about  its  practica- 
bility ? 

He  began  to  consider  this.     If  he  only  had  planks 


188  A    HOUSE    AMONG    THE    TREE-TOPS. 

to  make  a  staging,  or  platform,  the  rest  would  be 
easy.  Any  slight  roof  would  be  sufficient  up  there. 
The  leaves  almost  formed  a  roof.  But  the  flooring, 
—  this  was  the  difficulty.  Where  were  planks  to  be 
got  ?  Nowhere,  in  that  neighborhood. 

His  eye  at  that  moment  chanced  to  fall  upon  the 
wagon.  Ha !  there  were  planks  there.  But  to 
break  up  his  beautiful  wagon  ?  No  —  no  —  no  !  Such 
a  thing  was  not  to  be  thought  of. 

But,  stay  1  there  was  no  need  to  break  it  up,  — no 
need  to  knock  out  a  single  nail.  It  would  serve 
every  purpose  without  breaking  a  splinter  off  it.  The 
fine  vehicle  was  made  to  take  to  pieces  and  put  up 
again  at  will. 

He  could  take  it  to  pieces.  The  broad  bottom 
alone  should  remain  whole.  That,  of  itself,  would  be 
the  platform.  Hurra ! 

The  field-cornet,  excited  with  the  development  of 
this  fine  plan,  now  communicated  it  to  the  others. 
All  agreed  that  it  was  just  the  thing  ;  and,  as  the 
day  was  before  them,  they  made  no  more  ado,  but 
set  about  carrying  out  the  design. 

A  ladder  thirty  feet  long  had  first  to  be  constructed. 
This  occupied  a  good  while ;  but  at  length  a  stout 
rough  article  was  knocked  up,  which  served  the 
purpose  admirably.  It  gave  them  access  to  the 
lowermost  limb  ;  and  from  this  they  could  construct 
steps  to  all  the  others. 

Von  Bloom  ascended,  and,  after  careful  examina- 
tion, chose  the  site  of  the  platform.  This  was  to 
rest  upon  two  strong  horizontal  limbs  of  equal  height, 
and  diverging  very  gradually  from  each  other.  The 


A    HOUSE    AMONG    THE    TREE-TOPS.  189 

quantity  of  thick  branches  in  the  great  tree  afforded 
him  a  choice. 

The  wagon  was  now  taken  to  pieces,  —  a  work  of 
only  a  few  minutes,  —  and  the  first  thing  hauled  up 
was  the  bottom.  This  was  no  slight  performance, 
and  required  all  the  strength  of  the  camp.  Strong 
"  rheims  "  were  attached  to  one  end,  and  these  were 
passed  over  a  limb  of  the  tree,  still  higher  up  than 
those  on  which  the  staging  was  to  rest.  One  stood 
above  to  guide  the  huge  piece  of  plankwork,  while 
all  the  rest  exerted  their  strength  upon  the  ropes 
below.  Even  little  Jan  pulled  with  all  his  might, 
though  a  single  pound  avoidupois  weight  would 
have  been  about  the  measure  of  his  strength. 

The  piece  was  hoisted  up,  until  it  rested  beauti- 
fully upon  the  supporting  limbs ;  and  then  a  cheer 
rose  from  below,  and  was  answered  by  Swartboy 
among  the  branches. 

The  heaviest  part  of  the  work  was  over.  The 
boxing  of  the  wagon  was  passed  up,  piece  by  piece, 
and  set  in  its  place  just  as  before.  Some  branches 
were  lopped  off,  to  make  room  for  the  cap-tent,  and 
then  it  was  also  hauled  up  and  mounted. 

By  the  time  the  sun  set  everything  was  in  its 
place,  and  the  aerial  house  was  ready  for  sleeping  in. 
In  fact,  that  very  night  they  slept  in  it ;  or,  as  Hans 
jocularly  termed  it,  they  all  went  to  "  roost." 

But  they  did  not  consider  their  new  habitation 
quite  complete  as  yet.  Next  day  they  continued  to 
labor  upon  it.  By  means  of  long  poles  they  extended 
their  platform  from  the  wagon  quite  up  to  the  trunk 


190  A    HOUSE    AMONG    THE   TREE-TOPS. 

of  the  tree,  so  as  to  give  them  a  broad  terrace  to 
move  about  upon. 

The  poles  were  fast  wattled  together  by  rods  of 
the  beautiful  weeping- willow  (Salix  Babylonica), 
which  is  a  native  of  these  parts,  and  several  trees  of 
which  grew  by  the  side  of  the  vley.  Upon  the  top 
of  all  they  laid  a  thick  coating  of  clay,  obtained 
from  the  edge  of  the  lake  ;  so  that,  if  need  be,  they 
could  actually  kindle  a  fire,  and  cook  their  suppers 
in  the  tree. 

To  make  a  still  finer  flooring,  they  procured  a 
quantity  of  the  material  of  which  the  ant-hills  are 
composed  ;  which,  being  of  a  glutinous  nature,  makes 
a  mortar  almost  as  binding  as  Roman  cement. 

After  the  main  building  had  been  finished  off, 
Swartboy  erected  a  platform  for  himself,  and  one  for 
Totty,  in  another  part  of  the  ample  nwana.  Above 
each  of  these  platforms  he  had  constructed  a  roof,  or 
screen,  to  shelter  their  occupants  from  rain  or  dew. 

There  was  something  odd  in  the  appearance  of 
these  two  screens,  each  of  which  was  about  the  size 
of  an  ordinary  umbrella.  Their  oddity  consisted  in 
the  fact  that  they  were  ears  of  the  elephant! 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS.       191 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

THE    BATTLE    OF   THE   WILD    PEACOCKS. 

THERE  was  no  longer  anything  to  hinder  the  field- 
cornet  from  commencing  the  real  business  of  his  new 
life,  namely,  the  hunting  of  the  elephant.  He  re- 
solved, therefore,  to  begin  at  once ;  for  until  he 
should  succeed  in  "  bagging"  a  few  of  these  giant 
animals,  he  was  not  easy  in  his  mind.  He  might 
not  be  able  to  kill  a  single  one  ;  and  then  what 
would  become  of  all  his  grand  hopes  and  calcula- 
tions ?  They  would  end  in  disappointment,  and  he 
should  find  himself  in  as  bad  a  condition  as  ever. 
Indeed,  worse  :  for  to  fail  in  any  undertaking  is  not 
only  to  lose  time,  but  energy  of  mind.  Success 
begets  genius,  courage,  and  self-reliance  —  all  of 
which  contribute  to  new  successes ;  while  failure 
intimidates,  and  leads  to  despair.  In  a  psychological 
point  of  view  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  fail  in  any 
undertaking  ;  and,  therefore,  before  undertaking  any- 
thing, one  should  be  well  assured  of  its  being  possi- 
ble and  practicable. 

Now,  Yon  Bloom  was  not  sure  that  the  great  de- 
sign he  had  formed  was  practicable.  But  in  this  case 
he  had  no  choice.  No  other  means  of  livelihood  was 
open  to  him  just  then  ;  and  he  had  resolved  to  make 
trial  of  this.  He  had  faith  in  his  calculations,  and  he 


192  THE   BATTLE    OF    THE    WILD    PEACOCKS. 

had  also  good  reason  to  hope  he  would  succeed ;  but 
the  thing  was  yet  untried.  No  wonder  he  was  in 
haste  to  begin  the  business  —  in  haste  to  know  what 
were  his  chances  of  success. 

By  early  day,  therefore,  he  was  up  and  out. 
Hendrik  and  Swartboy  only  accompanied  him,  for 
he  could  not  yet  bring  himself  to  leave  the  children 
with  no  other  protection  than  Totty  —  almost  as 
much  a  child  as  themselves.  Hans,  therefore,  re- 
mained by  the  camp 

At  first  the  hunters  followed  the  little  rivulet  that 
ran  from  the  spring  and  vley.  They  did  so  because 
in  this  direction  there  was  more  "  bush  ;  "  and  they 
knew  that  elephants  would  be  more  likely  to  be 
found  in  woods  than  in  open  places.  Indeed,  it 
was  only  near  the  banks  of  the  stream  that  any 
great  quantity  of  wood  was  to  be  seen.  A  broad 
belt  of  jungle  extended  upon  each  side  of  it.  After 
that,  there  were  straggling  groves  and  clumps ;  and 
then  came  the  open  plains,  almost  treeless,  though 
covered  with  a  rich  carpet  of  grass  for  some  dis- 
tance further.  To  this  succeeded  the  wild  karoo, 
stretching  eastward  and  westward  beyond  the  reach 
of  vision.  Along  the  north,  as  already  mentioned, 
trended  the  line  of  "bluffs  ;  "  and  beyond  these  there 
was  nothing  but  the  parched  and  waterless  desert. 
To  the  south  there  lay  the  only  thing  that  could  be 
called  "  woods  ; "  and  although  such  a  low  jungle 
could  lay  no  claim  to  the  title  of  "  forest,"  it  was, 
nevertheless,  a  likely  enough  haunt  for  elephants. 

The  trees  consisted  chiefly  of  mimosas  —  of  several 
species ;  upon  the  leaves,  roots,  and  tender  shoots 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS.       193 

pf  which  the  great  ruminant  loves  to  browse.  There 
were  some  "  camel-doorn  "  trees,  with  their  shady, 
umbrella-like  tops.  But  above  all  rose  the  massive 
heads  of  the  nwanas,  giving  a  peculiar  character  to 
the  landscape. 

The  hunters  noticed,  as  they  went  on,  that  the 
channel  of  the  rivulet  became  wider  and  larger,  and 
that  at  times  —  no  doubt  after  great  rains  —  a  large 
quantity  of  water  must  have  run  in  its  bed,  form- 
ing a  considerable  river.  But  as  the  channel  grew 
larger  the  reverse  was  the  case  with  the  quantity 
of  running  water.  The  further  down  they  proceeded 
this  became  less  and  less ;  until,  at  the  distance  of 
a  mile  from  camp,  the  current  ceased  altogether. 

For  half  a  mile  further  on  they  found  water  in 
stagnant  pools,  but  none  running.  The  wide,  dry 
channel,  however,  continued  on  as  before  ;  and  the 
"  bush  ;;  extended  on  both  sides  without  interrup- 
tion, so  thick  that  they  could  only  make  way  by 
keeping  in  the  channel  itself. 

As  they  walked  along,  several  kinds  of  small  game 
were  started.  Hendrik  would  gladly  have  taken  a 
shot  at  some  of  these,  but  his  father  would  not  per- 
mit him  to  fire  just  then.  It  might  frighten  away 
the  great  "game"  they  were  in  search  of,  and 
which  they  might  fall  in  with  at  any  moment.  On 
their  return,  Hendrik  might  do  his  best ;  and  then 
the  field-cornet  intended  to  assist  him  in  procuring 
an  antelope,  as  there  was  no  fresh  venison  in  the 
camp.  This,  however,  was  a  consideration  of  sec- 
ondary importance,  and  the  first  thing  to  be  done 
was  to  try  and  get  a  pair  of  tusks. 
13 


194        THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS. 

There  was  no  objection  to  Swartboy  using  his 
bow,  as  that  silent  weapon  would  cause  no  alarm. 
Swartboy  had  been  taken  along  to  carry  the  axe  and 
other  implements,  as  well  as  to  assist  in  the  hunt. 
Of  course  he  had  brought  his  bow  and  quiver  with 
him,  and  he  was  constantly  on  the  watch  for  some- 
thing at  which  to  let  fly  one  of  his  little  poisoned 
arrows. 

He  found  a  mark,  at  length,  worthy  of  his  attention. 
On  crossing  the  plain,  to  avoid  a  large  bend  in  the 
channel,  they  came  upon  a  glade  or  opening  of  con- 
siderable size,  and  in  the  middle  of  this  glade  a  huge 
bird  appeared  standing  erect. 

"  An  ostrich  !  "  exclaimed  Hendrik. 

"  No/7  replied  Swartboy  ;  "  um  ar  da  pauw/7 

"  Yes/7  said  Yon  Bloom,  confirming  Swartboy  'a 
statement,  "it  is  the  pauw." 

Now,  a  "  pauw/7  in  the  Dutch  language,  is  a  "  pea- 
cock/7 But  there  are  no  peacocks  in  Africa.  The 
peacock  in  its  wild  state  inhabits  only  Southern  Asia 
and  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Archipelago.  The  bird 
they  saw,  then,  could  not  be  a  peacock. 

Neither  was  it  one.  And  yet  it  bore  some  resem- 
blance to  a  peacock,  with  its  long,  heavy  tail,  and 
wings  speckled  and  ocellated  in  a  very  striking  man- 
ner, and  something  like  the  "  marbled  "  feathers  that 
adorn  the  peacock's  back.  It  had  none  of  the  bril- 
liant colors,  however,  of  that  proudest  of  birds, 
though  it  was  quite  as  stately,  and  much  larger  and 
taller.  In  fact,  its  great  height  and  erect  attitude 
was  why  Hendrik  at  first  glance  had  taken  it  for  an 
ostrich.  It  was  neither  peacock  nor  ostrich,  but  be- 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS.       195 

longing  to  a  different  genus  from  either  —  to  the 
genus  Otis,  or  bustard.  It  was  the  great  bustard  of 
South  Africa,  — the  Otis  kori,  —  called  "  pauw  "  by 
the  Dutch  colonists,  on  account  of  itsocellated  plum- 
age, and  other  points  of  resemblance  to  the  Indian 
peacock. 

Now,  Swartboy,  as  well  as  Von  Bloom,  knew  that 
the  pauw  was  one  of  the  most  delicious  of  fowls  for 
the  table.  .But  they  knew  at  the  same  time  that  it 
was  one  of  the  shyest  of  birds,  —  so  shy  that  it  is 
very  difficult  to  get  even  a  long  shot  at  one.  How, 
then,  was  it  to  be  approached  within  range  of  the 
Bushman's  arrow  ?  That  was  the  point  to  be  con- 
sidered. 

Where  it  stood,  it  was  full  two  hundred  yards  from 
them ;  and,  had  it  perceived  them,  it  would  soon  have 
widened  that  distance  by  running  off  two  hundred 
more.  I  say  running  off,  fcr  birds  of  the  bustard 
family  rarely  take  to  wing,  but  use  their  long  legs 
to  escape  from  an  enemy.  On  this  account  they  are 
often  hunted  by  dogs,  and  caught  after  a  severe 
chase.  Although  but  poor  flyers,  they  are  splendid 
runners,  —  swift  almost  as  the  ostrich  itself. 

The  pauw,  however,  had  not  observed  the  hunters 
as  yet.  They  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  it  before  ap- 
pearing out  of  the  bushes,  and  had  halted  as  soon  as 
they  saw  it. 

How  was  Swartboy  to  approach  it  ?  It  was  two 
hundred  yards  from  any  cover,  and  the  ground  was  as 
clean  as  a  new-raked  meadow.  True,  the  plain  was 
not  a  large  one.  Indeed,  Swartboy  was  rather  sur- 
prised to  see  a  pauw  upon  so  small  a  one,  for  these 


196       THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS. 

birds  frequent  only  the  wide  open  karoos,  where  they 
can  sight  their  enemy  at  a  great  distance.  The 
glade  was  not  large,  but,  after  watching  the  bustard 
for  some  minutes,  the  hunters  saw  that  it  was  re- 
solved to  keep  near  the  centre,  and  showed  no  dis- 
position to  feed  in  the  direction  of  the  thicket  on 
either  side. 

Any  one  but  a  Bushman  would  have  despaired  of 
getting  a  shot  at  this  kori ;  but  Swartboy  did  not 
despair. 

Begging  the  others  to  remain  quiet,  he  crept  for- 
ward to  the  edge  of  the  jungle,  and  placed  himself 
behind  a  thick  leafy  bush.  He  then  commenced 
uttering  a  call,  exactly  similar  to  that  made  by  the 
male  of  the  kori  when  challenging  an  adversary  to 
combat. 

Like  the  grouse,  the  bustard  is  polygamous,  and  of 
course  terribly  jealous  and  pugnacious,  at  certain 
seasons  of  the  year.  Swartboy  knew  that  it  was  just 
then  the  "fighting  season "  among  the  pauws,  and 
hoped  by  imitating  their  challenge  to  draw  the  bird 
—  a  cock  he  saw  it  was  —  within  reach  of  his  arrow. 

As  soon  as  the  kori  heard  the  call,  he  raised  him- 
self to  his  full  height,  spread  his  immense  tail, 
dropped  his  wings  until  the  primary  feathers  trailed 
along  the  grass,  and  replied  to  the  challenge. 

But  what  now  astonished  Swartboy  was,  that  in- 
stead of  one  answer  to  his  call,  he  fancied  he  heard 
two,  simultaneously  uttered  I 

It  proved  to  be  no  fancy,  for  before  he  could  repeat 
the  decoy  the  bird  again  gave  out  its  note  of  defiance, 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS.       197 

and  was  answered  by  a  similar  call  from  another 
quarter ! 

Swartboy  looked  in  the  direction  whence  came  the 
latter,  and  there,  sure  enough,  was  a  second  kori, 
that  seemed  to  have  dropped  from  the  region  of  the 
clouds,  or,  more  likely,  had  run  out  from  the  shelter 
of  the  bushes.  At  all  events,  it  was  a  good  way 
towards  the  centre  of  the  plain,  before  the  hunter 
had  observed  it. 

The  two  were  now  in  full  view  of  each  other,  and 
by  their  movements  any  one  might  see  that  a  com- 
bat was  certain  to  come  off.  .  •_ 

Sure  of  this,  Swartboy  did  not  call  again,  but  re- 
mained silent  behind  his  bush. 

After  a  good  while  spent  in  strutting  and  wheeling 
round  and  round,  and  putting  themselves  in  the  most 
threatening  attitudes,  and  uttering  the  most  insult- 
ing expressions,  the  two  koris  became  sufficiently 
provoked  to  begin  the  battle.  They  "  clinched  "  in 
gallant  style,  using  all  three  weapons  —  wings,  beak, 
and  feet.  Now  they  struck  each  other  with  their 
wings,  now  pecked  with  their  bills  ;  and  at  intervals, 
when  a  good  opportunity  offered,  gave  each  other  a 
smart  kick  —  which,  with  their  long  muscular  legs, 
they  were  enabled  to  deliver  with  considerable  force. 

Swartboy  knew  that  when  they  were  well  into  the 
fight  he  might  stalk  in  upon  them  unobserved ;  so 
he  waited  patiently  till  the  proper  moment  ihould 
arrive. 

In  a  few  seconds  it  became  evident  he  would  not 
have  to  move  from  his  ambush,  for  the  birds  were 


198       THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  WILD  PEACOCKS. 

fighting  towards  him.  He  adjusted  his  arrow  to  the 
string,  and  waited. 

In  five  minutes  the  birds  were  fighting  within  thirty 
yards  of  the  spot  where  the  Bushman  lay.  The  twang 
of  a  bowstring  might  have  been  heard  by  one  of  the 
koris,  had  he  been  listening.  The  other  could  not 
possibly  have  heard  it,  for  before  the  sound  could 
have  reached  him  a  poisoned  arrow  was  sticking 
through  his  ears.  The  barb  had  passed  through,  and 
the  shaft  remained  in  his  head,  piercing  it  crosswise. 

Of  course  the  bird  dropped  dead  upon  the  grass, 
le*ss  astonished  than  his  antagonist. 

The  latter  at  first  imagined  he  had  done  it,  and  be- 
gan to  strut  very  triumphantly  around  his  fallen  foe. 

But  his  eye  now  fell  upon  the  arrow  sticking 
through  the  head  of  the  latter.  He  knew  nothing 
about  that.  He  had  not  done  that!  What  the 
deuce  — 

Perhaps,  if  he  had  been  allowed  another  moment's 
reflection,  he  would  have  taken  to  his  heels  ;  but  be- 
fore he  could  make  up  his  mind  about  the  matter, 
there  was  another  "twang'7  of  the  bowstring, 
another  arrow  whistled  through  the  air,  and  another 
kori  lay  stretched  upon  the  grass. 

Swartboy  now  rushed  forward  and  took  possession 
of  the  game,  which  proved  to  be  a  pair  of  young 
cocks,  in  prime  condition  for  roasting. 

Haf!ng  hung  the  birds  over  a  high  branch,  so  as 
to  secure  them  from  jackals  and  hyenas,  the  hunters 
continued  on ;  and  shortly  after,  having  reentered 
the  channel  of  the  stream,  continued  to  follow  it 
downward. 


UPON    THE    SPOOR.  199 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

UPON   THE     SPOOR. 

THEY  had  not  gone  above  a  hundred  yards  further, 
when  they  came  to  one  of  the  pools  already  spoken 
of.  It  was  a  tolerably  large  one,  and  the  mud  around 
its  edges  bore  the  hoof-prints  of  numerous  animals. 
This  the  hunters  saw  from  a  distance,  but,  on  reach- 
ing the  spot,  Swartboy,  a  little  in  the  advance,  turned 
suddenly  round,  and,  with  rolling  orbs  and  quivering 
lips,  clicked  out  the  words  — 

"Mem  baas !  mein  baas!  da  klow !  spoor  ob  da 
groot  olifant !  " 

There  was  no  danger  of  mistaking  the  spoor  of  the 
elephant  for  that  of  any  other  creature.  There,  sure 
enough,  were  the  great  round  tracks,  full  twenty-four 
inches  in  length,  and  nearly  as  wide,  deeply  imprinted 
in  the  mud  by  the  enormous  weight  of  the  animal's 
body.  Each  formed  an  immense  hole,  large  enough 
to  have  set  a  gate-post  in. 

The  hunters  contemplated  the  spoor  with  emotions 
of  pleasure  —  the  more  so  that  the  tracks  had  been 
recently  made.  This  was  evident.  The  displaced 
mud  had  not  yet  crusted,  but  looked  damp  and  fresh. 
It  had  been  stirred  within  the  hour. 

Only  one  elephant  had  visited  the  pool  that  night. 
There  were  many  old  tracks,  but  only  one  fresh 
spoor,  and  that  of  an  old  and  very  large  bull. 


200  UPON    THE    SPOOR. 

Of  course  the  tracks  told  this  much.  To  make  a 
spoor  twenty-four  inches  long,  requires  the  animal  to 
be  a  very  large  one  ;  and  to  be  very  large,  he  should 
be  a  bull,  and  an  old  one  too. 

Well,  the  older  and  larger  the  better,  provided 
his  tusks  have  not  been  broken  by  some  accident. 
When  that  happens,  they  are  never  recovered  again. 
The  elephant  does  cast  his  tusks,  but  only  in  the  ju- 
venile state,  when  they  are  not  bigger  than  lobster's 
claws ;  and  the  pair  that  succeeds  these  is  permanent, 
and  has  to  last  him  for  life  —perhaps  for  centuries, 
for  no  one  can  tell  how  long  the  mighty  elephant 
roams  over  this  sublunary  planet. 

When  the  tusks  get  broken  —  a  not  uncommon 
thing  — he  must  remain  toothless,  or  "  tuskless,"  for 
the  rest  of  his  life.  Although  the  elephant  may  con- 
sider the  loss  of  his  huge  tusks  a  great  calamity, 
were  he  only  a  little  wiser  he  would  break  them  off 
against  the  first  tree.  It  would,  in  all  probability, 
be  the  means  of  prolonging  his  life  ;  for  the  hunter 
would  not  then  consider  him  worth  the  ammunition 
it  usually  takes  to  kill  him. 

After  a  short  consultation  among  the  hunters, 
Swartboy  started  off  upon  the  spoor,  followed  by 
Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik.  It  led  straight  out  from 
the  channel,  and  across  the  jungle. 

Usually  the  bushes  mark  the  course  of  an  elephant, 
where  these  are  of  the  sort  he  feeds  upon.  In  this 
case  he  had  not  fed ;  but  the  Bushman,  who  could 
follow  spoor  with  a  hound,  had  no  difficulty  in  keep- 
ing on  the  track  as  fast  as  the  three  were  able  to 
travel. 


UPON   THE    SPOOR.  201 

They  emerged  into  open  glades,  and  after  passing 
though  several  of  these,  came  upon  a  large  ant-hill 
that  stood  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  openings.  The 
elephant  had  passed  close  to  the  ant-hill ;  he  had 
stopped  there  a  while  —  stay,  he  must  have  lain 
down. 

Von  Bloom  did  not  know  that  elephants  were  in 
the  habit  of  lying  down.  He  had  always  heard  it 
said  that  they  slept  standing.  Swartboy  knew  better 
than  that.  He  said  that  they  sometimes  slept  stand- 
ing, but  oftener  lay  down,  especially  in  districts 
where  they  were  not  much  hunted.  Swartboy  consid- 
ered it  a  good  sign  that  this  one  had  lain  down.  He 
reasoned  from  it  that  the  elephants  had  not  been  dis- 
turbed in  that  neighborhood,  and  would  be  the  more 
easily  approached  and  killed.  They  would  be  less 
likely  to  make  off  from  that  part  of  the  country,  until 
they,  the  hunters,  had  had  a  "  good  pull "  out  of  them. 

This  last  consideration  was  one  of  great  importance. 
In  a  district  where  elephants  have  been  much  hunted, 
and  have  learnt  what  the  crack  of  a  gun  signifies,  a 
single  day's  chase  will  often  set  them  travelling,  and 
they  will  not  bring  up  again  until  they  have  gone 
far  beyond  the  reach  of  the  hunters.  Not  only  the 
particular  individuals  that  have  been  chased  act  in 
this  way,  but  all  the  others,  as  though  warned  by 
their  companions,  until  not  an  elephant  remains  in 
the  district.  This  migratory  habit  is  one  of  the  chief 
difficulties  which  the  elephant-hunter  must  needs  en- 
counter ;  and,  when  it  occurs,  he  has  no  other 
resource  but  to  change  his  "  sphere  of  action." 
On  the  other  hand,  where  elephants  have  remained 


202  UPON    THE    SPOOR. 

for  a  long  time  undisturbed  the  report  of  a  gun  does 
not  terrify  them,  and  they  will  bear  a  good  deal  of 
hunting  before  "  showing  their  heels  "  and  leaving 
the  place. 

Swartboy,  therefore,  rejoiced  on  perceiving  that 
the  old  bull  had  lain  down.  The  Bushman  drew  a 
world  of  conclusions  from  that  circumstance. 

That  the  elephant  had  been  lying  was  clear  enough. 
The  abrasion  upon  the  stiff  mud  of  the  ant-heap 
showed  where  his  back  had  rested  ;  the  mark  of  his 
body  was  visible  in  the  dust,  and  a  groove-like  fur- 
row in  the  turf  had  been  made  by  his  huge  tusk.  A 
huge  one  it  must  have  been,  as  the  impression  of  it 
testified  to  the  keen  eyes  of  the  Bushman. 

Swartboy  stated  some  curious  facts  about  the  great 
quadruped,  —  at  least,  what  he  alleged  to  be  facts. 
They  were,  that  the  elephant  never  attempts  to  lie 
down  without  having  something  to  lean  his  shoulders 
against,  —  a  rock,  an  ant-hill,  or  a  tree  ;  that  he  does 
this  to  prevent  himself  from  rolling  over  on  his  back ; 
that  when  he  does  by  accident  get  into  that  position, 
he  has  great  difficulty  in  rising  again,  and  is  almost 
as  helpless  as  a  turtle  ;  and,  lastly,  that  he  often 
sleeps  standing  beside  a  tree,  with  the  whole  weight 
of  his  body  leaning  against  the  trunk. 

Swartboy  did  not  think  that  he  leans  against  the 
trunk  when  first  taking  up  his  position,  but  that  he 
seeks  the  tree  for  the  shade  it  affords,  and  as  sleep 
overcomes  him  he  inclines  towards  it,  finding  that  it 
steadies  and  rests  him. 

The  Bushman  stated,  moreover,  that  some  ele- 
phants have  their  favorite  trees,  to  which  they  return 


UPON    THE    SPOOR.  203 

again  and  again  to  take  a  nap  during  the  hot  mid-day 
hours,  —  for  that  is  their  time  of  repose.  At  night 
they  do  not  sleep.  On  the  contrary,  the  hours  of 
night  are  spent  in  ranging  about,  on  journeys  to  the 
distant  watering-places,  and  in  feeding,  though  in 
remote  and  quiet  districts  they  also  feed  by  day, 
so  that  it  is  probable  that  most  of  their  nocturnal 
activity  is  the  result  of  their  dread  of  their  watchful 
enemy,  man. 

Swartboy  communicated  these  facts  as  the  hunters 
all  together  followed  upon  the  spoor. 

The  traces  of  the  elephant  were  now  of  a  different 
character  from  what  they  had  been  before  arriving  at 
the  ant-hill.  He  had  been  browsing  as  he  went.  His 
nap  had  brought  a  return  of  appetite,  and  the  wait-a- 
bit  thorns  showed  the  marks  of  his  prehensile  trunk. 
Here  and  there  branches  were  broken  off,  stripped 
clean  of  their  leaves,  and  the  ligneous  parts  left  upon 
the  ground.  In  several  places  whole  trees  were  torn 
up  by  their  roots,  and  those,  too,  of  considerable 
size.  This  the  elephant  sometimes  does  to  get  at 
their  foliage,  which  upon  such  trees  grows  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  proboscis.  By  prostrating  them,  of 
course  he  gets  their  whole  frondage  within  easy  dis- 
tance of  his  elastic  nose,  and  can  strip  it  off  at 
pleasure.  At  times,  however,  he  tears  up  a  tree  to 
make  a  meal  of  its  roots,  as  there  are  several  species 
with  sweet,  juicy  roots,  of  which  the  elephant  is  ex- 
tremely fond.  These  he  drags  out  of  the  ground 
with  his  trunk,  having  first  loosened  them  with  his 
tusks,  used  as  crowbars.  At  times  he  fails  to  effect 
his  purpose,  and  it  is  only  when  the  ground  is  loose 


204  UPON    THE    SPOOR. 

or  wet,  as  after  great  rains,  that  he  can  uproot  the 
larger  kinds  of  mimosas.  Sometimes  he  is  capri- 
cious, and,  after  drawing  a  tree  from  the  ground,  he 
carries  it  many  yards  along  with  him,  flings  it  to  the 
ground  root  upwards,  and  then  leaves  it,  after  taking 
a  single  mouthful.  Destructive  to  the  forest  is  the 
passage  of  a  troop  of  elephants. 

Small  trees  he  can  tear  up  with  his  trunk  alone, 
but  to  the  larger  ones  he  applies  the  more  powerful 
leverage  of  his  tusks.  These  he  inserts  under  the 
roots,  imbedded  as  they  usually  are  in  loose,  sandy 
earth,  and  then,  with  a  quick  jerk,  he  tosses  roots, 
trunk,  and  branches,  high  into  the  air ;  a  wonderful 
exhibition  of  gigantic  power. 

The  hunters  saw  all  these  proofs  of  it,  as  they  fol- 
lowed the  spoor.  The  traces  of  the  elephant's 
strength  were  visible  all  along  the  route. 

It  was  enough  to  beget  fear  and  awe,  and  none  of 
them  were  free  from  such  feelings.  With  so  much 
disposition  to  commit  havoc  and  ruin  in  his  moments 
of  quietude,  what  would  such  a  creature  be  in  the 
hour  of  excitement  and  anger  ?  No  wonder  there 
was  fear  in  the  hearts  of  the  hunters,  unpractised  as 
some  of  them  were. 

Still  another  consideration  had  its  effect,  upon  their 
minds,  particularly  on  that  of  the  Bushman.  There 
was  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  animal  was  a 
"  rover  "  (rodeur),  —  what  among  Indian  hunters  is 
termed  a  "  rogue."  Elephants  of  this  kind  are  far 
more  dangerous  to  approach  than  their  fellows.  In 
fact,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  there  is  no  more 
danger  in  passing  through  a  herd  of  elephants,  than 


UPON    THE    SPOOK.  205 

there  would  be  in  going  among  a  drove  of  tame  oxen. 
It  is  only  when  the  elephant  has  been  attacked,  or 
wounded,  that  he  becomes  a  dangerous  enemy. 

With  regard  to  the  "  rover/7  or  "  rogue,"  the 
case  is  quite  different.  He  is  habitually  vicious ; 
and  will  assail  either  man  or  any  other  animal  on 
sight,  and  without  the  slightest  provocation.  He 
seems  to  take  a  pleasure  in  destruction  ;  and  woe  to 
the  creature  who  crosses  his  path  and  is  not  of 
lighter  heels  than  himself  I 

The  rover  leads  a  solitary  life,  rambling  alone 
through  the  forest,  and  never  associating  with  others 
of  his  kind.  He  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  outlaw  from 
his  tribe,  banished  for  bad  temper  or  some  other 
fault,  to  become  more  fierce  and  wicked  in  his  out- 
lawry. 

There  were  good  reasons  for  fearing  that  the  ele- 
phant they  were  spooring  was  a  "  rover."  His 
being  alone  was  of  itself  a  suspicious  circumstance, 
as  elephants  usually  go  from  two  to  twenty,  or 
even  fifty,  in  a  herd.  The  traces  of  ruin  he  had  left 
behind  him,  his  immense  spoor,  all  seemed  to  mark 
him  out  as  one  of  these  fierce  creatures.  That  such 
existed  in  that  district  they  already  had  evidence. 
Swartboy  alleged  that  the  one  killed  by  the  rhinoce- 
ros was  of  this  class,  else  he  would  not  have  attacked 
the  latter  as  he  had  done.  There  was  a  good  deal 
of  probability  in  this  belief  of  the  Bushman. 

Under  these  impressions,  then,  it  is  less  to  be 
wondered  that  our  hunters  felt  some  apprehensions 
of  danger  from  the  game  they  were  pursuing. 

The  spoor  grew  fresher  and  fresher.     The  hunters 


206  UPON    THE    SPOOR. 

saw  trees  turned  bottom  upward,  the  roots  exhibiting 
the  marks  of  the  elephant's  teeth,  and  still  wet  with 
the  saliva  from  his  vast  mouth.  They  saw  broken 
branches  of  the  mimosas  giving  out  their  odor,  that 
had  not  had  time  to  waste  itself.  They  concluded 
the  game  could  not  be  distant. 

They  rounded  a  point  of  timber,  the  Bushman 
being  a  little  in  the  advance. 

Suddenly  Swartboy  stopped  and  fell  back  a  pace. 
He  turned  his  face  upon  his  companions.  His  eyes 
rolled  faster  than  ever;  but,  although  his  lips  ap- 
peared to  move,  and  his  tongue  to  wag,  he  was  too 
excited  to  give  utterance  to  a  word.  A  volley  of 
clicks  and  hisses  came  forth,  but  nothing  articulate. 

The  others,  however,  did  not  require  any  words  to 
tell  them  what  was  meant.  They  knew  that  Swart- 
boy  intended  to  whisper  that  he  had  seen  "  da 
oliphant ;  "  so  both  peeped  silently  around  the  bush, 
and  with  their  own  eyes  looked  upon  the  mighty 
quadruped. 


A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT.  20f 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

A    ROGUE   ELEPHANT. 

THE  elephant  was  standing  in  a  grove  of  mokhalar 
trees.  These,  unlike  the  humbler  mimosas,  have  tall 
naked  stems,  with  heads  of  thick  foliage,  in  form 
resembling  an  umbrella  or  parasol.  Their  pinnate 
leaves  of  delicate  green  are  the  favorite  food  of  the 
giraffe  ;  hence  their  botanical  appellation  of  Acacia 
giraffes ;  and  hence  also  their  common  name  among 
the  Dutch  hunters  of  "  cameeldoorns "  (camel- 
thorns). 

The  tall  giraffe,  with  his  prehensile  lip  raised 
nearly  twenty  feet  in  the  air,  can  browse  upon  these 
trees  without  difficulty.  Not  so  the  elephant,  whose 
trunk  cannot  reach  so  high  ;  and  the  latter  would 
often  have  tp ,  imitate  the  fox  in  the  fable,  were  he 
not  possessed  of  a  means  whereby  he  can  bring  the 
tempting  morsel  within  reach  —  that  is,  simply  by 
breaking  down  the  tree.  This  his  vast  strength 
enables  him  to  do,  unless  when  the  trunk  happens  to 
be  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind. 

When  the  eyes  of  our  hunters  first  rested  upon  the 
elephant,  he  was  standing  by  the  head  of  a  prostrate 
mokhala,  which  he  had  just  broken  off  near  the  root. 
He  was  tearing  away  at  the  leaves,  and  filling  his 
capacious  stomach. 

.M- 


208  A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT. 

As  Boon  as  Swartboy  recovered  the  control  over 
his  tongue,  he  ejaculated,  in  a  hurried  whisper  — 

"Pas  op!  (take  care!)  baas  Bloom, —  hab  good 
care  —  don't  go  near  um  —  he  da  skellum  ole  klow. 
My  footy  !  he  wicked !  —  I  know  de  ole  bull  duy- 
vel." 

By  this  volley  of  queer  phrases  Swartboy  meant 
to  caution  his  master  against  rashly  approaching  the 
elephant,  as  he  knew  him  to  be  one  of  the  wicked 
sort  —  in  short,  a  "  rogue." 

How  Swartboy  knew  this  would  appear  a  mys- 
tery, as  there  were  no  particular  marks  about  the 
animal  to  distinguish  him  from  others  of  his  kind. 
But  the  Bushman,  with  his  practised  eye,  saw  some- 
thing in  the  general  physiognomy  of  the  elephant  — 
just  as  one  may  distinguish  a  fierce  and  dangerous 
bull  from  those  of  milder  disposition,  or  a  bad  from 
a  virtuous  man,  by  some  expression  that  one  cannot 
define. 

Von  Bloom  himself,  and  even  Hendrik,  saw  that 
the  elephant  had  a  fierce  and  ruffian  look. 

They  did  not  stand  in  need  of  Swartboy 's  advice 
to  act  with  caution. 

They  remained  for  some  minutes  gazing  through 
the  bushes  at  the  huge  quadruped.  The  more  they 
gazed,  the  more  they  became  resolved  to  make  an 
attack  upon  him.  The  sight  of  his  long  tusks  was 
too  tempting  to  Von  Bloom  to  admit  for  a  moment 
the  thought  of  letting  him  escape  without  a  fight. 
A  couple  of  bullets  he  should  have  into  him,  at  all 
events  ;  and,  if  opportunity  offered,  a  good  many 
more,  should  these  not  be  sufficient.  Von  Bloom 


A    RUG  UK.  ELEPHANT.  209 

would  not  relinquish    those  fine   tusks   without   a 
struggle. 

He  at  once  set  about  considering  the  safest  mode 
of  attack  ;  but  was  not  allowed  time  to  mature  any 
plan.  The  elephant  appeared  to  be  restless,  and 
was  evidently  about  to  move  forward.  He  might  be 
off  in  a  moment,  and  carry  them  after  him  for  miles  ; 
or,  perhaps,  in  the  thick  cover  of  wait-a-bits  get  lost 
to  them  altogether. 

These  conjectures  caused  Yon  Bloom  to  decide  at 
once  upon  beginning  the  attack,  and  without  any 
other  plan  than  to  stalk  in  as  near  as  would  be  safe, 
and  deliver  his  fire.  He  had  heard  that  a  single 
bullet  in  the  forehead  would  kill  any  elephant ;  and 
if  he  could  only  get  in  such  a  position  as  to  have  a 
fair  shot  at  the  animal's  front,  he  believed  he  was 
marksman  enough  to  plant  his  bullet  in  the  right 
place. 

He  was  mistaken  as  to  killing  an  elephant  with  a 
shot  in  the  forehead.  That  is  a  notion  of  gentlemen 
who  have  hunted  the  elephant  in  their  closets, 
though  other  closet  gentlemen,  the  anatomists, —  to 
whom  give  all  due  credit, —  have  shown  the  thing  to 
be  impossible,  from  the  peculiar  structure  of  the  ele- 
phant's skull  and  the  position  of  his  brain. 

Von  Bloom  at  the  time  was  under  this  wrong 
impression,  and  therefore  committed  a  grand  mistake. 
Instead  of  seeking  a  side  shot,  which  he  could  have 
obtained  with  far  less  trouble,  he  decided  on  creep- 
ing round  in  front  of  the  elephant,  and  firing  right  in 
the  animal's  face. 

Leaving    Hendrik   and   Swartboy   to   attack  him 
14 


210  A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT. 

from  behind,  he  took  a  circuit  under  cover  of  the 
bushes  ;  and  at  length  arrived  in  the  path  the 
elephant  was  most  likely  to  take. 

He  had  scarcely  gained  his  position,  when  he  saw 
the  huge  animal  coming  towards  him  with  silent  and 
majestic  tread ;  and,  although  the  elephant  only 
walked,  half-a-dozen  of  his  gigantic  strides  brought 
him  close  up  to  the  ambushed  hunter.  As  yet  the 
creature  uttered  no  cry ;  but  as  he  moved  Von 
Bloom  could  hear  a  rumbling,  gurgling  sound,  as  of 
water  dashing  to  and  fro  in  his  capacious  stomach. 

Von  Bloom  had  taken  up  his  position  behind  the 
trunk,  of  a  large  tree.  The  elephant  had  not  yet 
seen  him,  and  perhaps  would  have  passed  on  with- 
out knowing  that  he  was  there,  had  the  hunter 
permitted  him.  The  latter  even  thought  of  such  a 
thing ;  for,  although  a  man  of  courage,  the  sight  of 
the  great  forest  giant  caused  him  for  a  moment  to 
quail. 

But  again  the  curving  ivory  gleamed  in  his  eyes 
—  again  he  remembered  the  object  that  had  brought 
him  into  that  situation ;  he  thought  of  his  fallen^for- 
tunes  —  of  his  resolve  to  retrieve  them  —  of  his 
children's  welfare. 

These  thoughts  resolved  him.  His  long  roer  was 
laid  over  a  knot  in  the  trunk,  its  muzzle  pointed  at 
the  forehead  of  the  advancing  elephant ;  his  eye 
gleamed  through  the  sights;  the  loud  detonation 
followed,  and  a  cloud  of  smoke  for  a  moment  hid 
everything  from  his  view. 

He  could  hear  a  hoarse,  bellowing,  trumpet-like 
sound ;  he  could  hear  the  crashing  of  branches 


A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT.  211 

and  the  gurgling  of  water ;  and,  when  the  smoke 
cleared  away,  to  his  chagrin  he  saw  that  the  elephant 
was  still  upon  his  feet,  and  evidently  not  injured  in 
the  least. 

The  shot  had  struck  the  animal  exactly  where  the 
hunter  had  aimed  it ;  but,  instead  of  inflicting  a 
mortal  wound,  it  had  only  excited  the  creature  to 
extreme  rage.  He  was  now  charging  about,  striking 
the  trees  with  his  tusks,  tearing  branches  ofi'  and 
tossing  them  aloft  with  his  trunk,  though  all  the 
while  evidently  in  ignorance  of  what  had  tickled  him 
so  impertinently  upon  the  forehead. 

Fortunately  for  Von  Bloom,  a  good  thick  tree 
sheltered  him  from  the  view  of  the  elephant.  Had 
the  enraged  animal  caught  sight  of  him  at  that 
moment,  it  would  have  been  all  up  with  him ;  but 
the  hunter  knew  this,  and  had  the  coolness  to  remain 
close  and  quiet. 

Not  so  with  Swartboy.  When  the  elephant  moved 
forward,  he  and  Hendrik  had  crept  after  through  the 
grove  of  mokhalas.  They  had  even  followed  him 
across  the  open  ground  into  the  bush,  where  Yon 
Bloom  awaited  him.  On  hearing  the  shot,  and  see- 
ing that  the  elephant  was  still  unhurt,  Swartboy 's 
courage  gave  way  ;  and,  leaving  Hendrik,  he  ran 
back  towards  the  mokhala  grove,  shouting  as  he 
went. 

His  cries  reached  the  ears  of  the  elephant,  that  at 
once  rushed  off  in  the  direction  in  which  he  heard 
them.  In  a  moment  he  emerged  from  the  bush,  and, 
seeing  Swartboy  upon  the  open  ground,  charged  furi- 
ously after  the  flying  Bushman.  Hendrik  — who  had 


212  A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT. 

stood  his  ground,  and  in  the  shelter  of  the  bushes 
was  not  perceived  —  delivered  his  shot  as  the  animal 
passed  him.  His  ball  told  upon  the  shoulder,  but 
it  only  served  to  increase  the  elephant's  fury.  With- 
out stopping,  he  rushed  on  after  Swartboy,  believing, 
no  doubt,  that  the  poor  Bushman  was  the  cause  of 
the  hurts  he  was  receiving,  and  the  nature  of  which 
he  but  ill  understood. 

It  was  but  a  few  moments  from  the  firing  of  the 
first  shot  until  things  took  this  turn.  Swartboy 
was  hardly  clear  of  the  bushes  before  the  elephant 
emerged  also  ;  and,  as  the  former  struck  out  for  the 
mokhala-trees  he  was  scarce  six  steps  ahead  of  his 
pursuer. 

Swartboy's  object  was  to  get  to  the  grove,  in  the 
midst  of  which  were  several  trees  of  large  size. 
One  of  these  he  proposed  climbing,  as  that  seemed 
his  only  chance  for  safety. 

He  had  not  got  half  over  the  open  ground,  when 
he  perceived  he  would  be  too  late.  He  heard  the 
heavy  rush  of  the  huge  monster  behind  him  ;  he 
heard  his  loud  and  vengeful  bellowing;  he  fancied 
he  felt  his  hot  breath.  There  was  still  a  good  dis- 
tance to  be  run.  The  climbing  of  the  tree,*beyond 
the  reach  of  the  elephant's  trunk,  would  occupy 
time.  There  was  no  hope  of  escaping  to  the  tree. 

These  reflections  occurred  almost  instantaneously. 
In  ten  seconds  Swartboy  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  running  to  the  tree  would  not  save  him  ;  and  all 
at  once  he  stopped  in  his  career,  wheeled  round,  and 
faced  the  elephant ! 

Not  that  he  had  formed  any  plan  of  saving  himself 


A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT.  213 

in  that  way.  It  was  not  bravery,  but  only  despair, 
that  caused  him  to  turn  upon  his  pursuer.  He  knew 
that,  by  running  on,  he  would  surely  be  overtaken. 
It  could  be  no  worse  if  he  faced  round ;  and,  per- 
haps, he  might  avoid  the  fatal  charge  by  some  dex- 
terous manoeuvre. 

The  Bushman  was  now  right  in  the  middle  of  the 
open  ground  ;  the  elephant  rushing  straight  towards 
him. 

The  former  had  no  weapon  to  oppose  to  his  gigan- 
tic pursuer.  He  had  thrown  away  his  bow  —  his 
axe  too — to  run  the  more  nimbly.  But  neither 
would  have  been  of  any  avail  against  such  an  an- 
tagonist. He  carried  nothing  but  his  sheepskin 
kaross.  That  had  encumbered  him  in  his  flight ;  but 
he  had  held  on  to  it  for  a  purpose. 

His  purpose  was  soon  displayed. 

He  stood  until  the  extended  trunk  was  within 
three  feet  of  his  face  ;  and  then,  flinging  his  kaross 
so  that  it  should  fall  over  the  long  cylinder,  he 
sprang  nimbly  to  one  side,  and  started  to  run  back. 

He  would,  no  doubt,  have  succeeded  in  passing  to 
the  elephant's  rear,  and  thus  have  escaped  ;  but  as 
the  kaross  fell  upon  the  great  trunk  it  was  seized  in 
the  latter,  and  swept  suddenly  around.  Unfortu- 
nately Swartboy's  legs  had  not  yet  cleared  the  circle 
—  the  kaross  lapped  around  them  —  and  the  Bush- 
man was  thrown  sprawling  upon  the  plain. 

In  a  moment  the  active  Swartboy  recovered  his 
feet,  and  was  about  to  make  off  in  a  new  direction. 
But  the  elephant,  having  discovered  the  deception 
of  the  kaross,  had  dropped  it,  and  turned  suddenly 


214  A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT. 

after  him.  Swartboy  had  hardly  made  three  steps, 
when  the  long  ivory  curve  was  inserted  between  his 
legs  from  behind,  and  the  next  moment  his  body 
was  pitched  high  into  the  air. 

Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik,  who  had  just  then 
reached  the  edge  of  the  glade,  saw  him  go  up ;  but, 
to  their  astonishment,  he  did  not  come  to  the  ground 
again  !  Had  he  fallen  back  upon  the  elephant's 
tusks,  and  was  he  held  there  by  the  trunk  ?  No. 
They  saw  the  animal's  head.  The  Bushman  was  not 
there,  nor  upon  his  back,  nor  anywhere  to  be  seen. 
In  fact,  the  elephant  seemed  as  much  astonished  as 
they  at  the  sudden  disappearance  of  his  victim.  The 
huge  beast  was  turning  his  eyes  in  every  direction, 
as  if  searching  for  the  object  of  his  fury. 

Where  could  Swartboy  have  gone  ?  Where  ?  At 
this  moment  the  elephant  uttered  a  loud  roar,  and 
was  seen  rushing  to  a  tree,  which  he  now  caught  in 
his  trunk,  and  shook  violently.  Yon  Bloom  and 
Hendrik  looked  up  towards  its  top,  expecting  to  see 
Swartboy  there. 

Sure  enough  he  was  there,  perched  among  the 
leaves  and  branches  where  he  had  been  projected. 
Terror  was  depicted  in  his  countenance,  for  he  felt 
that  he  was  not  safe  in  his  position.  But  he  had 
scarce  time  to  give  utterance  to  his  fears  ;  for  the 
next  moment  the  tree  gave  way  with  a  crash,  and 
fell  to  the  ground,  bringing  the  Bushman  down  among 
its  branches. 

It  happened  that  the  tree,  dragged  down  by  the 
elephant's  trunk,  fell  towards  the  animal.  Swartboy 
even  touched  the  elephant's  body  in  his  descent,  and 


A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT.  215 

slipped  down  over  his  hind  quarters.  The  branches 
had  broken  the  fall,  and  the  Bushman  was  still 
unhurt,  but  he  felt  that  he  was  now  quite,  at  the 
mercy  of  his  antagonist.  He  saw  no  chance  of 
escape  by  flight.  He  was  lost ! 

Just  at  that  moment  an  idea  entered  his  mind, — 
a  sort  of  despairing  instinct, —  and,  springing  at  one 
of  the  hind  legs  of  the  quadruped,  he  slung  his  arms 
around  it,  and  held  fast.  He  at  the  same  time 
planted  his  naked  feet  upon  the  sabots  of  those  of 
the  animal ;  so  that,  by  means  of  this  support,  he 
was  enabled  to  keep  his  hold,  let  the  animal  move  as 
it  would. 

The  huge  mammoth,  unable  to  shake  him  off, 
unable  to  get  at  him  with  his  trunk,  and,  above 
all,  surprised  and  terrified  by  this  novel  mode  of 
attack,  uttered  a  shrill .  scream,  and,  with  tail  erect 
and  trunk  high  in  air,  dashed  off  into  the  jungle. 

Swartboy  held  on  to  the  leg  until  fairly  within  the 
bushes  ;  and  then,  watching  his  opportunity,  he 
slipped  gently  off.  As  soon  as  he  touched  terra 
firma  again,  he  rose  to  his  feet,  and  ran  with  all  his 
might  in  an  opposite  direction. 

He  need  not  have  run  a  single  step  ;  for  the  ele- 
1  phant,  as  much  frightened  as  he,  kept  on  through 
the  jungle,  laying  waste  the  trees  and  branches 
in  his  onward  course.  The  huge  quadruped  did  not 
stop  till  he  had  put  many  miles  between  himself  and 
the  scene  of  his  disagreeable  adventure. 

Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik  had  by  this  time  reloaded, 
and  were  advancing  to  Swartboy's  rescue  ;  but  they 


21 G  A    ROGUE    ELEPHANT. 

were  met  right  in  the  teeth  by  the  swift-flying  Bush- 
man, as  he  returned  from  his  miraculous  escape. 

The  hunters,  who  were  now  warmed  to  their  work, 
proposed  to  follow  up  the  spoor  ;  but  Swartboy,  who 
had  had  enough  of  that  "  old  rogue,"  declared  that 
there  would  be  not  the  slightest  chance  of  again 
coming  up  with  him  without  horses  or  dogs  ;  and,  as 
they  had  neither,  spooring  him  any  further  would  be 
quite  useless. 

Von  Bloom  saw  that  there  was  truth  in  the  remark, 
and  now  more  than  ever  did  he  regret  the  loss  of  his 
horses.  The  elephant,  though  easily  overtaken  on 
horseback,  or  with  dogs  to  bring  him  to  bay,  can  as 
easily  escape  from  a  hunter  on  foot ;  and  once  he  has 
made  up  his  mind  to  flight,  it  is  quite  a  lost  labor  to 
follow  him  further. 

It  was  now  too  late  in  the  day  to  seek  for  other 
elephants  ;  and  with  a  feeling  of  disappointment  the 
hunters  gave  up  the  chase,  and  turned  their  steps  in 
the  direction  of  the  camp. 


THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    THE    WILDEBEESTS.      21 Y 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

THE   MISSING   HUNTER,    AND    THE   WILDEBEESTS. 

A  WELL-KNOWN  proverb  say s  that  "misfortunes 
seldom  come  single.7' 

On  nearing  the  camp,  the  hunters  could  perceive 
that  all  was  not  right  there.  They  saw  Totty  with 
Truey  and  Jan  standing  by  the  head  of  the  ladder  ; 
but  there  was  something  in  their  manner  that  told 
that  all  was  not  right.  Where  was  Hans  ? 

As  soon  as  the  hunters  came  in  sight,  Jan  and 
Truey  ran  down  the  rounds,  and  out  to  meet  them. 
There  was  that  in  their  glances  that  bespoke  ill 
tidings,  and  their  words  soon  confirmed  this  con- 
jecture. 

Hans  was  not  there  —  he  had  gone  away  hours 
ago  —  they  knew  not  where,  they  feared  something 
had  happened  to  him  —  they  feared  he  was  lost. 

"But  what  took  him  away  from  the  camp?" 
asked  Von  Bloom,  surprised  and  troubled  at  the 
news. 

That,  and  only  that,  could  they  answer.  A  num- 
ber of  odd-looking  animals  —  very  odd-looking,  the 
children  said  —  had  come  to  the  vley  to  drink.  Hans 
had  taken  his  gun  and  followed  them  in  a  great  hurry, 
telling  Triiey  and  Jan  to  keep  in  the  tree,  and  not 


218  THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS. 

come  down  until  he  returned.  He  would  be  gone 
only  a  very  little  while,  and  they  needn't  fear. 

This  w3s  all  they  knew.  They  could  not  even  tell 
what  direction  he  had  taken.  He  went  by  the  lower 
end  of  the  vley ;  but  soon  the  bushes  hid  him  from 
their  view,  and  they  saw  no  more  of  him. 

"  At  what  time  was  it  ?  " 

It  was  many  hours  ago,  —  in  the  morning,  in  fact, 
—  not  long  after  the  hunters  themselves  had  started. 
When  he  did  not  return  the  children  grew  uneasy  ; 
but  they  thought  he  had  fallen  in  with  papa  and 
Hendrik,  and  was  helping  them  to  hunt,  and  that 
was  the  reason  why  he  stayed  so  long. 

"  Had  they  heard  any  report  of  a  gun  ?  " 

No  —  they  had  listened  for  that,  but  heard  none. 
The  animals  had  gone  away  before  Hans  could  get 
his  gun  ready  ;  and  they  supposed  he  had  to  follow 
some  distance  before  he  could  overtake  them  —  that 
might  be  the  reason  they  had  heard  no  shot. 

"  What  sort  of  animals  were  they  ?  " 

They  had  all  seen  them  plain  enough,  as  they 
drank.  They  had  never  seen  any  of  the  kind  before. 
They  were  large  animals,  of  a  yellow-brown  color, 
with  shaggy  manes,  and  long  tufts  of  hair  growing 
out  of  their  breasts,  and  hanging  down  between  their 
fore  legs.  They  were  as  big  as  ponies,  said  Jan, 
and  very  like  ponies.  They  curveted  and  capered 
about  just  as  ponies  do  sometimes.  Triiey  thought 
that  they  looked  more  like  lions. 

"  Lions  !  "  ejaculated  her  father  and  Hendrik, 
with  an  accent  that  betokened  alarm. 


THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS.  219 

Indeed,  they  reminded  her  of  lions,  Triiey-  again 
affirmed,  and  Totty  said  the  same. 

"  How  many  were  there  of  them  ?  " 

"  0  !  a  great  drove  —  not  less  than  fifty."  They 
could  not  have  counted  them,  as  they  were  con- 
stantly in  motion,  galloping  from  place  to  place, 
and  butting  each  other  with  their  horns. 

"Ha!  they  had  horns  then?"  interrogated  Von 
Bloom,  relieved  by  this  announcement. 

Certainly  they  had  horns,  replied  all  three. 

They  had  seen  the  horns,  —  sharp-pointed  ones, 
which  first  came  down,  and  then  turned  upwards  in 
front  of  the  animals'  faces.  They  had  manes,  too, 
Jan  affirmed  ;  and  thick  necks  that  curved  like  that 
of  a  beautiful  horse  ;  and  tufts  of  hair  like  brushes 
upon  their  noses  ;  and  nice  round  bodies  like  ponies ; 
and  long,  white  tails  that  reached  near  the  ground, 
just  like  the  tails  of  ponies  ;  and  finely-shaped  limbs, 
as  ponies  have. 

"I  tell  you,"  continued  Jan,  with  emphasis,  "if 
it  hadn't  been  for  their  horns  and  the  brushes  of 
long  hair  upon  their  breasts  and  noses,  I'd  have 
taken  them  for  ponies  before  anything.  They  gal- 
loped about  just  like  ponies  when  playing,  and  ran 
with  their  heads  down,  curving  their  necks  and  toss- 
ing their  manes,  —  ay,  and  snorting,  too,  as  I  ;ve 
heard  ponies  ;  but  sometimes  they  bellowed  more 
like  bulls ;  and,  I  confess  they  looked  a  good  deal 
like  bulls  about  the  head  ;  besides,  I  noticed  they  had 
hoofs  split  like  cattle.  0  !  I  had  a  good  look  at  them 
while  Hans  was  loading  his  gun.  They  stayed  by 
the  water  till  he  was  nearly  ready  ;  and  when  they 


220  THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS. 

galloped  off,  they  went  in  a  long  string,  one  behind 
the  other,  with  the  largest  one  in  front,  and  another 
large  one  in  the  rear." 

"  Wildebeests  I  "  exclaimed  Hendrik. 

"  Gnoos  !  "  cried  Swartboy. 

"  Yes,  they  must  have  been  wildebeests,"  said 
Yon  Bloom  ;  "  Jan's  description  corresponds  exactly 
to  them." 

This  was  quite  true.  Jan  had  correctly  given 
many  of  the  characteristic  points  of  that,  perhaps, 
the  most  singular  of  all  ruminant  animals,  the  wilde- 
beest, or  gnoo  (Catoblepas  gnoo).  The  brush-like 
tuft  over  the  muzzle,  the  long  hair  between  the  fore 
legs,  the  horns  curving  down  over  the  face,  and  then 
sweeping  abruptly  upward,  the  thick  curving  neck, 
the  rounded,  compact,  horse-shaped  body,  the  long 
whitish  tail,  and  full  flowing  mane  —  all  were  de- 
scriptive of  the  gnoo. 

Even  Triiey  had  not  made  such  an  unpardonable 
mistake.  The  gnoos,  and  particularly  the  old  bulls, 
bear  a  very  striking  resemblance  to  the  lion  ;  so  much 
so  that  the  sharpest  hunters  at  a  distance  can  scarce 
tell  one  from  the  other. 

Jan,  however,  had  observed  them  better  than 
Triiey  ;  and,  had  they  been  nearer,  he  might  have 
further  noticed  that  the  creatures  had  red,  fiery  eyes, 
and  a  fierce  look ;  that  their  heads  and  horns  were 
not  unlike  those  of  the  African  buffalo ;  that  their 
limbs  resembled  those  of  the  stag,  while  the  rest 
corresponded  well  enough  to  his  "  pony."  He  might 
have  observed,  moreover,  that  the  males  were  larger 
than  the  females,  and  of  a  deeper  brown.  Had  there 


THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS.  221 

been  any  "  calves  "  with  the  herd,  he  would  have 
seen  these  were  still  lighter  colored  —  in  fact,  of  a 
white  or  cream  color. 

The  gnoos  that  had  been  seen  were  the  common 
kind,  called  by  the  Dutch  colonists  "wildebeests," 
or  wild  oxen,  and  by  the  Hottentots  "  gnoo,"  or 
"  gnu,"  from  a  hollow  moaning  sound  to  which  these 
creatures  sometimes  give  utterance,  and  which  is 
represented  by  the  word  "gnoo-o-oo." 

They  roam  in  vast  flocks  upon  the  wild  karoos  of 
South  Africa ;  are  inoffensive  animals,  except  when 
wounded  ;  and  then  the  old  bulls  are  exceedingly 
dangerous,  and  will  attack  the  hunter  both  with 
horns  and  hoof.  They  can  run  with  great  swiftness, 
though  they  scarce  ever  go  clear  off,  but,  keeping  at 
a  wary  distance,  circle  around  the  hunter,  curveting 
in  all  directions,  menacing  with  their  heads  lowered 
to  the  ground,  kicking  up  the  dust  with  their  heels, 
and  bellowing  like  bulls,  or  indeed  like  lions — for 
their  "rout"  bears  a' resemblance  to  the  lion's 
roar. 

The  old  bulls  stand  sentry  while  the  herd  is  feed- 
ing, and  protect  it  both  in  front  and  rear.  When 
running  off  they  usually  go  in  single  file,  as  Jan  had 
represented. 

Old  bulls  hang  between  the  rear  of  the  herd  and 
the  hunter;  and  these  caper  back  and  forward,  but- 
ting each  other  with  their  horns,  and  often  fighting 
apparently  in  serious  earnest.  Before  the  hunter 
comes  within  range,  however,  they  drop  their  con- 
flict, and  gallop  out  of  his  way.  Nothing  can  exceed 


222  THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS. 

the  capricious  antics  which  these  animals  indulge  in, 
while  trooping  over  the  plain. 

There  is  a  second  species  of  the  same  genus  com- 
mon in  South  Africa,  and  a  third  inhabits  still  fur- 
ther to  the  north ;  but  of  the  last  very  little  is 
known.  Both  species  are  larger  than  the  wilde- 
beest, individuals  of  either  being  nearly  five  feet  in 
height,  while  the  common  gnoo  is  scarce  four. 

The  three  kinds  are  quite  distinct,  and  never  herd 
together,  though  each  of  them  is  often  found  in  com- 
pany with  other  animals.  All  three  are  peculiar  to 
the  continent  of  Africa,  and  are  not  found  else- 
where. 

The  "brindled  gnoo'7  (Catoblepas  gorgon)  is  the 
other  species  that  inhabits  the  south  of  Africa.  It  is 
known  among  the  hunters  and  colonists  as  "  blauw 
wildebeest"  (blue  wild  ox).  It  is  of  a  bluish  color, — 
hence  the  name,  —  and  "  brindled  "  or  striped  along 
the  sides.  Its  habits  are  very  similar  to  those  of 
the  common  gnoo,  but  it  is  altogther  a  heavier  and 
duller  animal,  and  still  more  eccentric  and  ungainly 
in  its  form. 

The  third  species  (Catoblepas  taurina)  is  the 
"  ko-koon  "  of  the  natives.  It  approaches  nearer 
to  the  brindled  gnoo  in  form  and  habits  ;  but,  as  it 
is  not  found  except  in  the  more  central  and  less- 
travelled  portions  of  Africa,  less  is  known  about  it 
than  either  of  the  others.  It  is,  however,  of  the 
same  kind  ;  and  the  three  species,  differing  widely 
from  any  other  animals  known,  are  entitled  to  form 
a  distinct  and  separate  genus. 

They  have  hitherto  generally  been  classed  with 


THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS.  223 

the  antelopes,  though  for  what  reason  it  is  hard  to 
tell.  They  have  far  less  affinity  with  the  antelope 
than  with  the  ox  ;  and  the  every-day  observations  of 
the  hunter  and  frontier  boor  have  guided  them  to  a 
similar  conclusion  —  as  their  name  for  these  animals 
(wild  oxen)  would  imply.  Observation  of  this  class 
is  usually  worth  far  more  than  the  "speculations" 
of  the  closet-naturalist. 

The  gnoo  has  long  been  the  favorite  food  of  the 
frontier  farmer  and  hunter.  Its  beef  is  well  flavored, 
and  the  veal  of  a  gnoo-calf  is  quite  a  delicacy.  The 
hide  is  manufactured  into  harness  and  straps  of  dif- 
ferent sorts  ;  and  the  long  silky  tail  is  an  article  of 
commerce.  Around  every  frontier  farm-house  large 
piles  of  gnoo  and  spring-bok  horns  may  be  seen  — 
the  remains  of  animals  that  have  been  captured  in 
the  chase. 

"  Jaging  de  wildebeest "  (hunting  the  gnoo)  is 
a  favorite  pastime  of  the  young  boors.  Large  herds 
of  these  animals  are  sometimes  driven  into  valleys, 
where  they  are  hemmed  in,  and  shot  down  at  will. 
They  can  also  be  lured  within  range,  by  exhibiting 
a  red  handkerchief,  or  any  piece  of  red  cloth  —  to 
which  color  they  have  a  strong  aversion.  They  may 
be  tamed  and  domesticated  easily  enough  ;  but  they 
are  not  favorite  pets  with  the  farmer,  who  dreads 
their  communicating  to  his  cattle  a  fatal  skin  dis- 
ease, to  which  the  gnoos  are  subject,  and  which  car- 
ries off  thousands  of  them  every  year. 

Of  course  Yon  Bloom  and  his  companions  did  not 
stay  to  talk  over  these  points.  They  were  too 


224  THE    MISSING    HUNTER,    AND    WILDEBEESTS. 

anxious  about  the  fate  of  the  missing  Hans,  to  think 
of  anything  else. 

They  were  about  to  start  out  in  search  of  him, 
when  just  at  that  moment  my  gentleman  was  seen 
coming  around  the  end  of  the  lake,  trudging  very 
slowly  along,  under  the  weight  of  some  large  and 
heavy  object,  that  he  carried  upon  his  shoulders. 

A  shout  of  joy  was  raised,  and  in  a  few  moments 
Hans  stood  in  their  midst. 


THE  ANT-EATER  OP  AFRICA.  225 


CHAPTEK    XXXI. 

THE   ANT-EATER   OF    AFRICA. 

HANS  was  saluted  by  a  volley  of  questions,  "Where 
have  you  been  ?  What  detained  you  ?  What  has 
happened  to  you  ?  You  're  all  safe  and  sound  ?  Not 
hurt,  I  hope  ?  "  These  and  a  few  others  were  asked 
in  a  breath. 

"  1 'm  sound  as  a  bell/'  said  Hans  ;  "  and,  for  the 
rest  of  your  inquiries,  I  '11  answer  them  all  as  soon 
as  Swartboy  has  skinned  this  '  aard-vark,'  and  Totty 
has  cooked  a  piece  of  it  for  supper ;  but  I  'm  too 
hungry  to  talk  now,  —  so  pray  excuse  me." 

As  Hans  gave  this  reply,  he  cast  from  his  shoul- 
ders an  animal  nearly  as  big  as  a  sheep,  covered 
with  long  bristly  hair  of  a  reddish-gray  color,  and 
having  a  huge  tail,  thick  at  the  root,  and  tapering 
like  a  carrot ;  a  snout  nearly  a  foot  long,  but  quite 
slender  and  naked ;  a  very  small  mouth  ;  erect  pointed 
ears,  resembling  a  pair  of  horns ;  a  low,  flattish  body ; 
short,  muscular  legs,  and  claws  of  immense  length, 
especially  on  the  fore  feet,  where,  instead  of  spread- 
ing out,  they  were  doubled  back  like  shut  fists,  or 
the  fore  hands  of  a  monkey.  Altogether  a  very  odd 
animal  was  that  which  Hans  had  styled  an  "  aard- 
vark/'  and  which  he  desired  should  be  cooked  for 
supper. 

15 


226  THE  ANT-EATER  OF  AFRICA. 

"  Well,  my  boy,"  replied  Von  Bloom,  "  we  '11  ex- 
cuse you,  the  more  so  that  we  are  all  of  us  about  as 
hungry  as  yourself,  I  fancy.  But  I  think  we  may 
as  well  leave  the  '  aard-vark '  for  to-morrow's  din- 
ner. We  've  a  couple  of  peacocks  here,  and  Totty 
will  get  one  of  them  ready  sooner  than  the  aard- 
vark." 

"  As  for  that,"  rejoined  Hans,  "  I  don't  care  which ; 
I  'm  just  in  the  condition  to  eat  anything,  even  a 
steak  of  tough  old  quagga,  if  I  had  it ;  but  I  think 
it  would  be  no  harm  if  Swartboy  —  that  is,  if  you  're 
not  too  tired,  old  Swart  —  would  just  peel  the  skin 
off  this  gentleman." 

Hans  pointed  to  the  "aard-vark." 

"  And  dress  him  so  that  he  don't  spoil,"  he  con- 
tinued ;  "  for  you  know,  Swartboy,  that  he 's  a  tit- 
bit, —  a  regular  bonne  louche,  —  and  it  would  be  a 
pity  to  let  him  go  to  waste  in  this  hot  weather.  An 
aard-vark 's  not  to  be  bagged  every  day." 

"  You  spreichen  true,  Mynheer  Hans,  —  Swartboy 
know  all  dat.  Him  skin  an  dress  da  goup." 

And,  so  saying,  Swartboy  out  knife  and  set  to 
work  upon  the  carcass. 

Now,  this  singular-looking  animal,  which  Hans 
called  an  "aard-vark,"  and  Swartboy  a  "goup," 
was  neither  more  nor  less  than  the  African  ant-eater 
(Orycteropus  Capensis). 

Although  the  colonists  term  it  "  aard-vark,"  which 
is  the  Dutch  for  "ground-hog,"  the  animal  has  but 
little  in  common  with  the  hog  kind.  It  certainly 
bears  some  resemblance  to  a  pig  about  the  snout 
and  cheeks  ;  and  that,  with  its  bristly  hair  and  bur- 


THE  ANT-EATER  OF  AFRICA.  22 1 

rowing  habits,  has,  no  doubt,  given  rise  to  the  mis- 
taken name.  The  "  ground  "  part  of  the  title  is  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  a  burrowing  animal,  —  indeed,  one 
of  the  best  "terriers'7  in  the  world.  It  can  make 
its  way  under  ground  faster  than  the  spade  can  fol- 
low it,  and  faster  than  any  badger.  In  size,  habits, 
and  the  form  of  many  parts  of  its  body,  it  bears  a 
striking  resemblance  to  its  South  American  cousin, 
the  "tamanoir"  (Myrmecophaga  jubata),  which  of 
late  years  has  become  so  famous  as  almost  to  usurp 
the  title  of  "ant-eater."  But  the  "aard-vark"  is 
just  as  good  an  ant-eater  as  he, — can  "crack"  as 
thick-walled  a  house,  can  rake  up  and  devour  as 
many  termites  as  any  "  ant-bear"  in  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  Amazon  valley.  He  has  got,  more- 
over, as  "tall"  a  tail  as  the  tamanoir,  very  nearly 
as  long  a  snout,  a  mouth  equally  small,  and  a  tongue 
as  extensive  and  extensile.  In  claws  he  can  com- 
pare with  his  American  cousin,  any  day ;  and  can 
walk  just  as  awkwardly  upon  the  sides  of  his  fore 
paws,  with  "  toes  turned  in." 

Why,  then,  may  I  ask,  do  we  hear  so  much  talk 
of  the  "tamanoir,"  while  not  a  word  is  said  of  the 
"aard-vark"?  Every  museum  and  menagerie  is 
bragging  about  having  a  specimen  of  the  former, 
while  not  one  cares  to  acknowledge  their  possession 
of  the  latter.  Why  this  envious  distinction  ?  I  say 
it 's  all  Barnum.  It  '&  because  the  "  aard-vark  "  ;s  a 
Dutchman  —  a  Cape  boor — and  the  boors  have  been 
much  bullied  of  late.  That 's  the  reason  why  zoolo- 
gists and  showmen  have  treated  my  thick-tailed  boy 
BO  shabbily.  But  it  shan't  be  so  any  longer  ;  I 


228  THE  ANT-EATER  OF  AFRICA. 

stand  up  for  the  aard-vark ;  and,  although  the  tama- 
noir  has  been  specially  called  Myrmecopliaga,  or  ant- 
eater,  I  say  that  the  Orycteropus  is  as  good  an  ant- 
eater  as  he.  He  can  break  through  ant-hills  quite 
as  big,  and  bigger,  —  some  of  them  twenty  feet  high, 
—  he  can  project  as  long  and  as  gluey  a  tongue, — 
twenty  inches  long,  —  he  can  play  it  as  nimbly,  and 
"lick  up"  as  many  white  ants,  as  any  tamanoir. 
He  can  grow  as  fat,  too,  and  weigh  as  heavy,  and, 
what  is  greatly  to  his  credit,  he  can  provide  you 
with  a  most  delicate  roast  when  you  choose  to  kill 
and  eat  him.  It  is  true  he  tastes  slightly  of  formic 
acid,  but  that  is  just  the  flavor  that  epicures  admire. 
And  when  you  come  to  speak  of  "hams,"  —  ah  !  try 
his  !  Cure  them  well  and  properly,  and  eat  one,  and 
you  will  never  again  talk  of  "  Spanish,"  or  "  West- 
phalian." 

Hans  knew  the  taste  of  those  hams  —  well  he  did, 
and  so,  too,  Swartboy ;  and  it  was  not  against  his 
inclination,  but  con  amore,  that  the  latter  set  about 
butchering  the  "goup." 

Swartboy  knew  how  precious  a  morsel  he  held  be- 
tween his  fingers,  —  precious  not  only  on  account 
of  its  intrinsic  goodness,  but  from  its  rarity ;  for 
although  the  aard-vark  is  a  common  animal  in  South 
Africa,  and  in  some  districts  even  numerous,  it  is 
not  every  day  the  hunter  can  lay  his  hands  upon 
one.  On  the  contrary,  the  creature  is  most  difficult 
to  capture ;  though  not  to  kill,  for  a  blow  on  the 
snout  will  do  that. 

But,  just  as  he  is  easily  killed  when  you  catch 
him,  in  the  same  proportion  is  he  hard  to  catch.  He 


THE    ANT-EATER   OF  "AFRICA.  229 

is  shy  and  wary  ;  scarce  ever  comes  out  of  his  bur- 
row but  at  night,  and,  even  then,  skulks  so  silently 
along,  and  watches  around  him  so  sharply,  that  no 
enemy  can  approach  without  his  knowing  it.  His 
eyes  are  very  small,  and,  like  most  nocturnal  ani- 
mals, he  sees  but  indifferently  ;  but  in  the  two  senses 
of  smell  and  hearing  he  is  one  of  the  sharpest.  His 
long  erect  ears  enable  him  to  catch  every  sound  that 
may  be  made  in  his  neighborhood,  however  slight. 

The  "  aard-vark"  is  not  the  only  ant-eating  quad- 
ruped of  South  Africa.  There  is  another  four-footed 
creature  as  fond  of  white  ants  as  he  ;  but  this  is  an 
animal  of  very  different  appearance.  It  is  a  creature 
without  hair ;  but,  instead,  its  body  is  covered  all 
over  with  a  regular  coat  of  scales,  each  as  large  as 
a  half-crown  piece.  These  scales  slightly  overlie 
each  other,  and  can  be  raised  on  end  at  the  will  of 
the  animal.  In  form  it  resembles  a  large  lizard,  or 
a  small  crocodile,  more  than  an  ordinary  quadruped, 
but  its  habits  are  almost  exactly  like  those  of  the 
aard-vark.  It  burrows,  digs  open  the  ant-hills  by 
night,  projects  a  long,  viscous  tongue  among  the 
insects,  and  devours  them  with  avidity. 

When  suddenly  overtaken,  and  out  of  reach  of  its 
underground  retreat,  it  "  clews  "  up  like  the  hedge- 
hog, and  some  species  of  the  South  American  arma- 
dillos, to  which  last  animal  it  bears  a  considerable 
resemblance,  on  account  of  its  scaly  coat  of  mail. 

This  ant-eater  is  known  as  the  "pangolin,"  or 
"  manis  ;  "  but  there  are  several  species  of  "  pan- 
golin "  not  African.  Some  are  met  with  in  Southern 
Asia  and  the  Indian  islands.  That  which  is  found 


230  THE  ANT-EATER  OF  AFRICA. 

in  South  Africa  is  known  among  naturalists  as  the 
"long-tailed,"  or  " Temminck,"  pangolin  (Manis 
TemmincJcii) . 

Totty  soon  produced  a  roasted  "peacock,"  or 
rather  a  hastily-broiled  bustard.  But,  although,  per- 
haps, not  cooked  "  to  a  turn,"  it  was  sufficiently  well 
done  to  satisfy  the  stomachs  for  which  it  was  in- 
tended. They  were  all  too  hungry  to  be  fastidious, 
and  without  a  word  of  criticism  they  got  through 
their  dinner. 

Hans  then  commenced  relating  the  history  of  his 
day's  adventure. 


HANS    CHASED    BY    THE    WILDEBEEST.  231 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

HANS   CHASED    BY   THE   WILDEBEEST. 

,"  began  Hans,  "you  had  not  been  gone 
more  than  an  hour,  when  a  herd  of  wildebeests  was 
seen  approaching  the  vley.  They  came  on  in  single 
file  ;  but  they  had  broken  rank,  and  were  splashing 
about  in  the  water,  before  I  thought  of  molesting 
them  in  any  way. 

"  Of  course  I  knew  what  they  were,  and  that  they 
were  proper  game  ;  but  I  was  so  interested  in  watch- 
ing their  ludicrous  gambols  that  I  did  not  think 
about  my  gun  until  the  whole  herd  had  nearly  fin- 
ished drinking.  Then  I  remembered  that  we  were 
living  on  dry  biltongue,  and  would  be  nothing  the 
worse  of  a  change.  I  noticed,  moreover,  that  in  the 
herd  of  gnoos  there  were  some  young  ones,  which  I 
was  able  to  tell  from  their  being  smaller  than  the 
rest,  and  also  by  their  lighter  color.  I  knew  that 
the  flesh  of  these  is  most  excellent  eating,  and  there- 
fore made  up  my  mind  we  should  all  dine  upon  it. 

"  I  rushed  up  the  ladder  for  my  gun,  and  then  dis- 
covered how  imprudent  I  had  been  in  not  loading  it 
at  the  time  you  all  went  away.  I  had  not  thought 
of  any  sudden  emergency,  —  but  that  was  very  fool- 
ish, for  how  knew  I  what  might  happen  in  a  single 
hour,  or  minute,  even  ? 


232  HANS    CHASED    BY    THE    WILDEBEEST. 

"  I  loaded  the  piece  in  a  grand  hurry,  for  I  saw 
the  wildebeests  leaving  the  water ;  and,  as  soon  as 
the  bullet  was  rammed  home,  I  ran  down  the  ladder. 
Before  I  had  reached  the  bottom  I  saw  that  I  had 
forgotten  to  bring  either  powder-horn  or  pouch.  I 
was  in  too  hot  haste  to  go  back  for  them,  for  I  saw 
the  last  of  the  wildebeests  moving  off,  and  I  fancied 
I  might  be  too  late.  But  I  had  no  intention  of  going 
any  great  distance  in  pursuit.  A  single  shot  at 
them  was  all  I  wanted,  and  that  in  the  gun  would  do. 

"  I  hastened  after  the  game,  keeping  as  well  as  I 
could  under  cover.  I  found,  after  a  little  time,  that 
I  need  not  have  been  so  cautious.  The  wildebeests, 
instead  of  being  shy,  —  as  I  had  seen  them  in  our 
old  neighborhood,  —  appeared  to  have  very  little  fear 
of  me.  This  was  especially  the  case  with  the  old 
bulls,  who  capered  and  careered  about  within  a 
hundred  yards7  distance,  and  sometimes  permitted 
me  to  approach  even  nearer.  It  was  plain  they  had 
never  been  hunted. 

"  Once  or  twice  I  was  within  range  of  a  pair  of 
old  bulls,  who  seemed  to  act  as  a  rear-guard.  But  I 
did  not  want  to  shoot  one  of  them.  I  knew  their 
flesh  would  turn  out  tough.  I  wished  to  get  some- 
thing more  tender.  I  wished  to  send  a  bullet  into  a 
heifer,  or  one  of  the  young  bulls,  whose  horns  had 
not  yet  begun  to  curve.  Of  these  I  saw  several  in 
the  herd. 

"  Tame  as  the  animals  were,  I  could  not  manage 
to  get  near  enough  to  any  of  these.  The  old  bulls 
at  the  head  always  led  them  beyond  my  range  ;  and 


HANS    CHASED    BY    THE    WILDEBEEST.  233 

the  two  that  brought  up  the  rear  seemed  to  drive 
them  forward  as  I  advanced  upon  them. 

"Well,  in  this  way  they  beguiled  me  along  for 
more  than  a  mile  ;  and  the  excitement  of  the  chase 
made  me  quite  forget  how  wrong  it  was  of  me  to  go 
so  far  from  the  camp.  But,  thinking  about  the  meat, 
and  still  hopeful  of  getting  a  shot,  I  kept  on. 

"  At  length  the  hunt  led  me  into  ground  where 
there  was  no  longer  any  bush  ;  but  there  was  good 
cover,  notwithstanding,  in  the  ant-hills,  that,  like 
great  tents,  stood  at  equal  distances  from  each  other 
scattered  over  the  plain.  These  were  very  large,  — 
some  of  them  more  than  twelve  feet  high,  —  and 
differing  from  the  dome-shaped  kind  so  common 
everywhere.  They  were  of  the  shape  of  large  cones, 
or  rounded  pyramids,  with  a  number  of  smaller  cones 
rising  around  their  bases,  and  clustering  like  turrets 
along  their  sides.  I  knew  they  were  the  hills  of  a 
species  of  white  ant,  called  by  entomologists  Termes 
bellicosus. 

"There  were  other  hills,  of  cylinder  shape  and 
rounded  tops,"  that  stood  only  about  a  yard  high, 
looking  like  rolls  of  unbleached  linen  set  upright, 
each  with  an  inverted  basin  upon  its  end.  These 
were  the  homes  of  a  very  different  species,  the  Ter- 
mes mordax  of  the  entomologists ;  though  still 
another  species  of  Termes  (T.  atrox)  build  their 
nests  in  the  same  form. 

"  I  did  not  stop  then  to  examine  these  curious 
structures.  I  only  speak  of  them  now  to  give  you 
an  idea  of  the  sort  of  place  it  was,  so  that  you  may 
understand  what  followed. 


234  HANS    CHASED    BY   THE    WILDEBEEST. 

"  What  with  the  cone-shaped  hills  and  the  cylin- 
ders, the  plain  was  pretty  well  covered.  One  or  the 
other  was  met  with  every  two  hundred  yards  ;  and 
I  fancied,  with  these  for  a  shelter,  I  should  have  but 
little  difficulty  in  getting  within  shot  of  the  gnoos. 

"  I  made  a  circuit  to  head  them,  and  crept  up  be- 
hind a  large  cone-shaped  hill,  near  which  the  thick 
of  the  drove  was  feeding.  When  I  peeped  through 
the  turrets,  to  my  chagrin,  I  saw  that  the  cows  and 
younger  ones  had  been  drawn  off  beyond  reach,  and 
the  two  old  bulls  were,  as  before,  capering  between 
me  and  the  herd. 

"  I  repeated  the  manoeuvre,  and  stalked  in  behind 
another  large  cone,  close  to  which  the  beasts  were 
feeding.  When  I  raised  myself  for  a  shot,  I  was 
again  disappointed.  The  herd  had  moved  off  as 
before,  and  the  brace  of  bulls  still  kept  guard  in  the 
rear. 

"  I  began  to  feel  provoked.  The  conduct  of  the 
bulls  annoyed  me  exceedingly,  and  I  really  fancied 
that  they  knew  it.  Their  manoeuvres  were  of  the 
oddest  kind,  and  some  of  them  appeared  to  be  made 
for  the  purpose  of  mocking  me.  At  times  they 
would  charge  up  very  close,  their  heads  set  in  a 
menacing  attitude  ;  and  I  must  confess  that,  with 
their  black  shaggy  fronts,  their  sharp  horns,  and 
glaring  red  eyes,  they  looked  anything  but  pleasant 
neighbors. 

"  I  got  so  provoked  with  them,  at  last,  that  I  re- 
solved they  should  bother  me  no  longer.  If  they 
would  not  permit  me  to  shoot  one  of  the  others,  I 
was  determined  they  themselves^  should  not  escape 


HANS    CHASED    BY    THE    WILDEBEEST.  235 

scot-free,  but  should  pay  dearly  for  their  temerity 
and  insolence.  I  resolved  to  put  a  bullet  through 
one  of  them,  at  least. 

"Just  as  I  was  about  raising  my  gun  to  fire,  I 
perceived  that  they  had  placed  themselves  in  atti- 
tude for  a  new  fight.  This  they  did  by  dropping  on 
their  knees,  and  sliding  forward  until  their  heads 
came  in  contact.  They  would  then  spring  up,  make 
a  sudden  bound  forward,  as  if  to  get  uppermost,  and 
trample  one  another  with  their  hoofs.  Failing  in 
this,  both  would  rush  past,  until  they  were  several 
yards  apart ;  then  wheel  round,  drop  once  more  to 
their  knees,  and  advance  as  before. 

"Hitherto  I  had  looked  upon  these  conflicts  as 
merely  playful ;  and  so,  I  fancy,  most  of  them  were. 
But  this  time  the  bulls  seemed  to  be  in  earnest.  The 
loud  cracking  of  their  helmet-covered  foreheads 
against  each  other,  their  fierce  snorting  and  bellow- 
ing, and,  above  all,  their  angry  manner,  convinced 
me  that  they  had  really  quarrelled,  and  were  serious 
about  it. 

"  One  of  them  at  length  seemed  to  be  getting 
knocked  over  repeatedly.  Every  time  he  had  par- 
tially risen  to  his  feet,  and  before  he  could  quite 
recover  them,  his  antagonist  rushed  upon  him  and 
butted  him  back  upon  his  side. 

"  Seeing  them  so  earnestly  engaged,  I  thought  I 
might  as  well  make  a  sure  shot  of  it,  by  going  a 
little  nearer;  so  I  stepped -from  behind  the  ant-hill, 
and  walked  towards  the  combatants.  Neither  took 
any  notice  of  my  approach,  —  the  one  because  he 
had  enough  to  do  to  guard  himself  from  the  terrible 


236  HANS    CHASED    BY   THE    WILDEBEEST. 

blows,  and  the  other  because  he  was  so  occupied  in 
delivering1  them. 

"  When  within  twenty  paces  I  levelled  my  gun. 
I  chose  the  bull  who  appeared  victor,  partly  as  a 
punishment  for  his  want  of  feeling  in  striking  a  fallen 
antagonist,  but  perhaps  more  because  his  broadside 
was  towards  me,  and  presented  a  fairer  mark. 

"  I  fired. 

"  The  smoke  hid  both  for  a  moment.  When  it 
cleared  off,  I  saw  the  bull  that  had  been  conquered 
still  down  in  a  kneeling  attitude  ;  but,  to  my  great 
surprise,  the  one  at  which  I  had  aimed  was  upon  his 
feet,  apparently  as  brisk  and  sound  as  ever !  I  knew 
I  had  hit  him  somewhere,  as  I  heard  the  '  thud '  of 
the  bullet  on  his  fat  body ;  but  it  was  plain  I  had 
not  crippled  him. 

"  I  was  not  allowed  time  for  reflection  as  to  where 
I  had  wounded  him.  Not  an  instant,  indeed,  for  the 
moment  the  smoke  cleared  away,  instead  of  the  bulls' 
clearing  off  also,  I  saw  the  one  I  had  shot  at  fling  up 
his  tail,  lower  his  shaggy  front,  and  charge  right 
towards  me. 

"  His  fierce  eyes  glanced  with  a  revengeful  look, 
and  his  roar  was  enough  to  have  terrified  one  more 
courageous  than  I.  I  assure  you  I  was  less  fright- 
ened the  other  day  when  I  encountered  the  lion. 

"  I  did  not  know  what  to  do  for  some  moments. 
I  thought  of  setting  myself  in  an  attitude  of  defence, 
and  involuntarily  had  turned  my  gun,  which  was  now 
empty,  intending  to  use  it  as  a  club.  But  I  saw  at 
once  that  the  slight  blow  I  could  deliver  would  not 
stop  the  onset  of  such  a  strong,  fierce  animal,  and 


HANS  CHASED  BY  THE  WILDEBEEST.       237 

that  he  would  butt  me  over,  and  gore  me,  to  a  cer- 
tainty. 

"  I  turned  my  eyes  to  see  what  hope  there  lay  in 
flight.  Fortunately  they  fell  upon  an  ant-hill  —  the 
one  I  had  just  emerged  from.  I  saw  at  a  glance 
that  by  climbing  it  I  would  be  out  of  reach  of  the 
fierce  wildebeest.  Would  I  have  time  to  get  to  it 
before  he  could  overtake  me  ? 

"  I  ran  like  a  frightened  fox.  You,  Hendrik,  can 
beat  me  running  upon  ordinary  occasions.  I  don't 
think  you  could  have  got  quicker  to  that  ant-hill 
than  I  did. 

"  I  was  not  a  second  too  soon.  As  I  clutched  at 
the  little  turrets,  and  drew  myself  up,  I  could  hear 
the  rattle  of  the  wildebeest's  hoofs  behind  me,  and  I 
fancied  I  felt  his  hot  breath  upon  my  heels. 

"  But  I  reached  the  top  cone  in  safety  ;  and  then 
turned  and  looked  down  at  my  pursuer.  I  saw  that 
he  could  not  follow  me  any  further.  Sharp  as  his 
horns  were,  I  saw  that  I  was  safe  out  of  their  reach. 


238  BESIEGED    BY   THE   BULL. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

BESIEGED    BY   THE   BULL. 

"  WELL,"  continued  Hans,  after  a  pause,  "  I  be- 
gan to  congratulate  myself  on  my  fortunate  escape  ; 
for  I  was  convinced  that  but  for  the  ant-hill  I  would 
have  been  trampled  and  gored  to  death.  The  bull 
was  one  of  the  largest  and  fiercest  of  his  kind,  and  a 
very  old  one  too,  as  I  could  tell  by  the  bases  of  his 
thick  black  horns  nearly  meeting  over  his  forehead, 
as  well  as  by  his  dark  color.  I  had  plenty  of  time 
to  note  these  things.  I  felt  that  I  was  now  safe  — 
that  the  wildebeest  could  not  get  near  me  ;  and  I  sat 
perched  upon  the  top  of  the  central  cone,  watching 
his  movements  with  perfect  coolness. 

"It  is  true  he  did  everything  to  reach  my  posi- 
tion. A  dozen  times  he  charged  up  the  hill,  and 
more  than  once  effected  a  lodgment  among  the  tops 
of  the  lower  turrets,  but  the  main  one  was  too  steep 
for  him.  No  wonder  !  It  had  tried  my  own  powers 
to  scale  it. 

"  At  times  he  came  so  close  to  me,  in  his  desperate 
efforts,  that  I  could  have  touched  his  horns  with  the 
muzzle  of  my  gun  ;  and  I  had  prepared  to  give  him 
a  blow  whenever  I  could  get  a  good  chance.  I  never 
saw  a  creature  behave  so  fiercely.  The  fact  was, 
that  I  had  hit  him  with  my  bullet  —  the  wound  was 


BESIEGED    BY    THE    BULL.  239 

there  along  his  jaw,  and  bleeding  freely.  The  pain 
of  it  maddened  him  ;  but  that  was  not  the  only  cause 
of  his  fury,  as  I  afterwards  discovered. 

"  Well.  After  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
scale  the  cone,  he  varied  his  tactics,  and  commenced 
butting  the  ant-heap  as  though  he  would  bring  it 
down.  He  repeatedly  backed,  and  then  charged 
forward  upon  it  with  all  his  might ;  and,  to  say  the 
truth,  it  looked  for  some  time  as  though  he  would 
succeed. 

"  Several  of  the  lesser  cones  were  knocked  over 
by  his  powerful  blows ;  and  the  hard,  tough  clay 
yielded  before  his  sharp  horns,  used  by  him  as 
inverted  pickaxes.  In  several  places  I  could  see 
that  he  had  laid  open  the  chambers  of  the  insects,  or 
rather  the  ways  and  galleries  that  are  placed  in  the 
outer  crust  of  the  hill. 

"With  all  this  I  felt  no  fear.  I  was  under  the 
belief  'that  he  would  soon  exhaust  his  rage  and  go 
away ;  and  then  I  could  descend  without  danger. 
But,  after  watching  him  a  good  long  spell,  I  was  not 
a  little  astonished  to  observe  that,  instead  of  cooling 
down,  he  seemed  to  grow  more  furious  than  ever.  I 
had  taken  out  my  handkerchief  to  wipe  the  perspira- 
tion off  my  face.  It  was  as  hot  as  an  oven  where  I 
sat.  Not  a  breath  of  air  was  stirring,  and  the  rays 
of  the  sun,  glaring  right  down  and  then  reflecting  up 
again  from  the  white  clay,  brought  the  perspiration 
out  of  me  in  streams.  Every  minute  I  was  obliged 
to  rub  my  eyes  clear  of  it  with  the  handkerchief. 

"  Now,  before  passing  the  kerchief  over  my  face, 
I  always  shook  it  open  ;  and  each  time  I  did  so,  I 


240  BESIEGED   BY   THE   BULL. 

noticed  that  the  rage  of  the  wildebeest  seemed  to  be 
redoubled.  In  fact,  at  such  times  he  would  leave 
off  goring  the  heap,  and  make  a  fresh  attempt  to 
rush  up  at  me,  roaring  his  loudest  as  he  charged 
against  the  steep  wall. 

"  I  was  puzzled  at  this,  as  well  as  astonished. 
What  could  there  be  in  my  wiping  my  face  to  pro- 
voke the  wildebeest  anew  ?  And  yet  such  was 
clearly  the  case.  Every  time  I  did  so,  he  appeared 
to  swell  with  a  fresh  burst  of  passion. 

"  The  explanation  came  at  length.  I  saw  that  it 
was  not  the  wiping  off  the  perspiration  that  provoked 
him.  It  was  the  shaking  out  of  my  handkerchief. 
This  was,  as  you  know,  of  a  bright  scarlet  color.  I 
thought  of  this,  and  then,  for  the  first  time,  remem- 
bered having  heard  that  anything  scarlet  has  a  most 
powerful  effect  upon  the  wildebeest,  and  excites  him 
to  a  rage  resembling  madness. 

"  I  did  not  wish  to  keep  up  his  fury.  I  crumpled 
up  the  handkerchief  and  buried  it  in  my  pocket ; 
preferring  to  endure  the  perspiration  rather  than 
remain  there  any  longer.  By  hiding  the  scarlet,  I 
conceived  a  hope  he  would  the  sooner  cool  down, 
and  go  away. 

"  But  I  had  raised  a  devil  in  him  too  fierce  to  be 
so  easily  laid.  He  showed  no  signs  of  cooling  down. 
On  the  contrary,  he  continued  to  charge,  butt,  and 
bellow,  as  vengefully  as  ever  —  though  the  scarlet 
was  no  longer  before  his  eyes. 

"  I  began  to  feel  really  annoyed.  I  had  no  idea 
the  gnoo  was  so  implacable  in  his  rage.  The  bull 
evidently  felt  pain  from  his  wound.  I  could  perceive 


BESIEGED    BY    THB  BULL.  241 

that  he  moaned  it.  He  knew  well  enough  it  was  I 
who  had  given  him  this  pain. 

"  He  appeared  determined  not  to  let  me  escape 
retribution.  He  showed  no  signs  of  an  intention  to 
leave  the  place ;  but  labored  away  with  hoof  and 
horns,  as  if  he  would  demolish  the  mound. 

"  I  was  growing  very  tired  of  my  situation.  Though 
not  afraid  that  the  bull  could  reach  me,  I  was  troubled 
by  the  thought  of  being  so  long  absent  from  our  camp. 
I  knew  I  should  have  been  there.  I  thought  of  my 
little  sister  and  brother.  Some  misfortune  might 
befall  thejp.  I  was  very  sad  about  that,  though  up 
to  that  time  I  had  little  or  no  fears  for  myself.  I 
was  still  in  hopes  the  wildebeest  would  tire  out  and 
leave  me,  and  then  I  could  soon  run  home. 

"  I  say,  up  to  that  time  I  had  no  very  serious  fears 
for  myself,  excepting  the  moment  or  two  when  the 
bull  was  chasing  me  to  the  hill ;  but  that  little  fright 
was  soon  over. 

"  But  now  appeared  a  new  object  of  dread ;  another 
enemy,  as  terrible  as  the  enraged  bull,  that  almost 
caused  me  to  spring  down  upon  the  horns  of  the 
latter  in  my  first  moments  of  alarm. 

"  I  have  said  that  the  wildebeest  had  broken  down 
several  of  the  lesser  turrets,  the  outworks  of  the  ant- 
hill, and  had  laid  open  the  hollow  spaces  within. 
He  had  not  penetrated  to  the  main  dome,  but  only 
the  winding  galleries  and  passages  that  perforate  the 
outer  walls. 

"  I  noticed,  that,  as  soon  as  these  were  broken 
open,  a  number  of  ants  had  rushed  out  from  each. 
Indeed,  I  had  observed  many  of  the  creatures  crawl- 
16 


242  BESIEGED   BY    THE    BULL. 

ing  outside  the  hill,  when  I  first  approached  it ;  and 
had  wondered  at  this,  as  I  knew  that  they  usually 
keep  under  ground  when  going  and  coming  from 
their  nests.  I  had  observed  all  this,  without  taking 
note  of  it  at  the  time,  being  too  intent  in  my  stalk 
to  think  of  anything  else.  For  the  last  half-hour  I 
was  too  busy  watching  the  manoeuvres  of  the  wilde- 
beest bull  to  take  my  gaze  off  him  for  a  moment. 

"  Something  in  motion  directly  under  me  at  length 
caught  my  eye,  and  I  looked  down  to  see  what  it 
was.  The  first  glance  caused  me  to  jump  to  my 
feet ;  and,  as  I  have  already  said,  very  nearly  im- 
pelled me  to  leap  down  upon  the  horns  of  the  bull. 

"  Swarming  all  over  the  hill,  already  clustering 
upon  my  shoes,  and  crawling  still  higher,  were  the 
crowds  of  angry  ants.  Every  hole  that  the  bull  had 
made  was  yielding  out  its  throng  of  spiteful  insects  ; 
and  all  appeared  moving  towards  me. 

"  Small  as  the  creatures  were,  I  fancied  I  saw 
design  in  their  movements.  They  seemed  all  actu- 
ated with  the  same  feeling,  the  same  impulse  —  that 
of  attacking  me.  I  could  not  be  mistaken  in  their 
intent.  They  moved  all  together,  as  if  guided  and  led 
by  intelligent  beings ;  and  they  advanced  towards 
the  spot  on  which  I  stood. 

"  I  saw,  too,  that  they  were  the  soldiers.  I  knew 
these  from  the  workers,  by  their  larger  heads,  and 
long  horny  mandibles.  I  knew  they  could  bite 
fiercely  and  painfully. 

"  The  thought  filled  me  with  horror.  I  confess  it, 
I  never  was  so  horrified  before.  My  late  encounter 
with  the  lion  was  nothing  to  compare  with  it. 


BESIEGED    BY   THE    BULL.  248 

"My  first  impression  was  that  I  would  be  destroyed 
by  the  termites.  I  had  heard  of  such  things  —  I 
remembered  that  I  had.  It  was  that,  no  doubt,  that 
frightened  me  so  badly.  I  had  heard  of  men  in  their 
sleep  being  attacked  by  the  white  ants,  and 
to  death.  Such  memories  came  crowding  upon 
at  the  moment,  until  I  felt  certain  that,  if  I  did  not 
soon  escape  from  that  spot,  the  ants  would  sting  me 
to  death  and  eat  me  up. 


244  A    HELPLESS    BEAST. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

A    HELPLESS    BEAST. 

"  WHAT  was  to  be  done  ?  How  was  I  to  avoid 
both  enemies  ?  If  I  leaped  down,  the  wildebeest 
would  kill  me  to  a  certainty.  He  was  still  there, 
with  his  fierce  eye  bent  upon  me  continually.  If  I 
remained  where  I  was,  I  would  soon  be  covered  with 
the  swarming  hideous  insects,  and  eaten  up  like  an 
old  rag.  * 

"  Already  I  felt  their  terrible  teeth.  Those  that 
had  first  crawled  to  my  feet  I  had  endeavored  to 
brush  off;  but  some  had  got  upon  my  ankles,  and 
were  biting  me  through  my  thick  woollen  socks. 
My  clothes  would  be  no  protection. 

"  I  had  mounted  to  the  highest  part  of  the  cone, 
and  was  standing  upon  its  apex.  It  was  so  sharp  I 
could  scarcely  balance  myself,  but  the  painful  stings 
of  the  insects  caused  me  to  dance  upon  it  like  a 
mountebank. 

"  But  what  signified  those  that  had  already  stung 
my  ankles,  to  the  numbers  that  were  likely  soon  to 
pierce  me  with  their  venomous  darts  ?  Already 
these  were  swarming  up  the  last  terrace.  They 
would  soon  cover  the  apex  of  the  cone  upon  which  I 
was  standing.  They  would  crawl  up  my  limbs  in 
myriads  —  they  would  — 


HANS    BESIEGED    BY    A    WILDEBEEST.  Page    245 


A    HELPLESS    BEAST.  245 

"  I  could  reflect  no  longer  on  what  they  would  do. 
I  preferred  taking  my  chance  with  the  wildebeest. 
I  would  leap  down.  Perhaps  some  lucky  accident 
might  aid  me.  I  would  battle  with  the  gnoo,  using 
my  gun.  Perhaps  I  might  succeed  in  escaping  to 
some  other  hill.  Perhaps  — 

"  I  was  actually  on  the  spring  to  leap  down,  when 
a  new  thought  came  into  my  mind  ;  and  I  wondered 
I  had  been  so  silly  as  not  to  think  of  it  before. 
What  was  to  hinder  me  from  keeping  off  the  termites  ? 
They  had  no  wings;  the  soldiers  have  none — nor 
the  workers  neither,  for  that  matter.  They  could  not 
fly  upon  me.  They  could  only  crawl  up  the  cone. 
With  my  jacket  I  could  brush  them  back.  Certainly 
I  could  —  why  did  I  not  think  of  it  before  ? 

"  I  was  not  long  in  taking  off  my  jacket.  I  laid 
aside  my  useless  gun,  dropping  it  upon  one  of  the 
lower  terraces.  I  caught  the  jacket  by  the  collar ; 
and,  using  it  as  a  duster,  I  cleared  the  sides  of  tho 
cone  in  a  few  moments,  having  sent  thousands  of 
the  termites  tumbling  headlong  below. 

"Pshaw!  how  simply  the  thing  was  done!  why 
had  I  not  done  it  before  ?  It  cost  scarcely  an  effort 
to  brush  the  myriads  away,  and  a  slight  effort  would 
keep  them  off  as  long  as  I  pleased. 

"  The  only  annoyance  I  felt  now  was  from  the  few 
that  had  got  under  my  trousers,  and  that  still  con- 
tinued to  bite  me  ;  but  these  I  would  get  rid  of  in 
time. 

"  Well ;  I  remained  on  the  apex,  now  bending 
down  to  beat  back  the  soldiers  that  still  swarmed 
upward,  and  then  occupying  myself  in  trying  to  get 


246  A    HELPLESS    BEAST. 

rid  of  the  few  that  crawled  upon  me.  I  felt  no  longer 
any  uneasiness  on  the  score  of  the  insects,  though  I 
was  not  a  bit  better  off  as  regarded  the  bull,  who 
still  kept  guard  below.  I  fancied,  however,  that  he 
now  showed  symptoms  of  weariness,  and  would  soon 
raise  the  siege  ;  and  this  prospect  made  me  feel  more 
cheerful. 

"  A  sudden  change  came  over  me.  A  new  thrill 
of  terror  awaited  me. 

"  While  jumping  about  upon  the  top  of  the  cone, 
my  footing  suddenly  gave  way  —  the  baked  clay 
broke  with  a  dead  crash,  and  I  sank  through  the 
roof.  My  feet  shot  down  into  the  hollow  dome,  till 
I  thought  I  must  have  crushed  the  great  queen  in 
her  chamber  —  and  I  stood  buried  to  the  neck. 

"  I  was  surprised,  and  a  little  terrified,  not  by  the 
shock  I  had  experienced  in  the  sudden  descent ;  that 
was  natural  enough,  and  a  few  moments  would  have 
restored  my  equanimity  ;  but  it  was  something  else 
that  frightened  me.  It  was  something  that  moved 
under  my  feet  as  they  '  touched  bottom ; '  some- 
thing that  moved  and  heaved  under  them,  and  then 
passed  quickly  away,  letting  me  still  further  down. 

"  What  could  it  be  ?  Was  it  the  great  swarm  of 
living  ants  that  I  pressed  upon  ?  I  did  not  think  it 
was.  It  did  not  feel  like  them.  It  seemed  to  be 
something  bulky  and  strong,  for  it  held  up  my  whole 
weight  for  a  moment  or  two,  before  it  slipped  from 
under  me. 

"  Whatever  it  was,  it  frightened  me  very  consid- 
erably ;  and  I  did  not  leave  my  feet  in  its  company  for 
five  seconds'  time.  No  ;  the  hottest  furnace  would 


A    HELPLESS    BEAST.  241. 

scarce  have  scorched  them  during  the  time  they 
remained  inside  the  dark  dome.  In  five  seconds 
they  were  on  the  walls  again  ;  on  the  broken  edges, 
where  I  had  mounted  up,  and  where  I  now  stood 
quite  speechless  with  surprise. 

"  What  next  ?  I  could  keep  the  ants  off  no  longer. 
I  gazed  down  the  dark  cavity ;  they  were  swarming 
up  that  way  in  thick  crowds.  I  could  brush  them 
down  no  more. 

"  My  eyes  at  this  moment  chanced  to  wander  to 
the  bull.  He  was  standing  at  three  or  four  paces' 
distance  from  the  base  of  the  hill.  He  was  standing 
sideways,  with  his  head  turned  to  it,  and  regarding 
it  with  a  wild  look.  His  attitude  was  entirely 
changed,  and  so,  I  thought,  was  the  expression  of 
his  eye.  He  looked  as  if  he  had  just  run  off  to  his 
new  position,  and  was  ready  to  make  a  second  start. 
He  looked  as  if  something  had  also  terrified  him. 

"Something  evidently  had;  for,  in  another  mo- 
ment he  uttered  a  sharp  rout,  galloped  several 
paces  further  out,  wheeled  again,  halted,  and  stood 
gazing  as  before. 

"  What  could  it  mean  ?  Was  it  the  breaking 
through  of  the  roof  and  my  sudden  descent  that  had 
frightened  him  ? 

"  At  first  I  thought  so,  but  I  observed  that  he  did 
not  look  upward  to  the  top.  His  gaze  seemed  bent 
on  some  object  near  the  base  of  the  hill,  though 
from  where  I  stood  I  could  see  nothing  there  to 
frighten  him. 

"  I  had  not  time  to  reflect  what  it  could  be, 
before  the  bull  uttered  a  fresh  snort,  and,  raising 


248  A    HELPLESS    BEAST. 

his  tail  high  into  the  air,  struck  off  at  full  gallop  over 
the  plain. 

"Rejoiced  at  seeing  this,  I  thought  no  more  of 
what  had  relieved  me  of  his  company.  It  must  have 
been  my  curious  fall,  I  concluded  ;  but  no  matter 
now  that  the  brute  was  gone.  So,  seizing  hold  of  my 
gun,  I  prepared  to  descend  from  the  elevated  posi- 
tion, of  which  I  was  thoroughly  tired. 

"Just  as  I  had  got  half  down  the  side,  I  chanced 
to  look  below  ;  and  there  was  the  object  that  terrified 
the  old  bull.  No  wonder.  It  might  have  terrified 
anything  —  the  odd-looking  creature  that  it  was. 
From  out  a  hole  in  the  clay  wall  protruded  a  long, 
naked,  cylindrical  snout,  mounted  by  a  pair  of  ears 
nearly  as  long  as  itself,  that  stood  erect  like  the 
horns  of  a  steinbuck,  and  gave  to  the  animal  that 
bore  them  a  wild  and  vicious  look.  It  would  have 
badly  frightened  me,  had  I  not  known  what  it  was  ; 
but  I  recognized  it  at  once  as  one  of  the  most 
inoffensive  creatures  in  the  world  —  the  '  aard-vark.' 

"  His  appearance  accounted  for  the  retreat  of  the 
bull,  and  also  explained  why  the  ants  had  been 
crawling  about  on  my  first  reaching  their  hill. 

"  Without  saying  a  word,  or  making  the  slightest 
noise,  I  clubbed  my  gun,  and,  bending  downward, 
struck  the  protruded  snout  a  blow  with  the  butt.  It 
was  a  most  wicked  blow  ;  and,  considering  the  ser- 
vice the  creature  had  just  done  me  in  frightening  off 
the  wildebeest,  a  most  ungrateful  return.  But  I  was 
not  master  of  my  feelings  at  the  moment.  I  did  not 
reflect  —  only  that  I  liked  aard-vark  flesh  —  and  the 
blow  was  given. 


A   HELPLESS   BEAST.  249 

"  Poor  fellow !  It  did  the  job  for  him.  With  scarce 
a  kick,  he  dropped  dead  in  the  opening  he  had  scraped 
with  his  own  claws. 

"  Well,  my  day's  adventures  were  not  yet  ended. 
They  seemed  as  though  they  were  never  to  end.  I 
had  got  the  aard-vark  over  my  shoulders,  and  was 
about  heading  homeward,  when,  to  my  astonishment, 
I  observed  that  the  bull-gnoo  —  not  the  one  that  had 
besieged  me,  but  his  late  antagonist  —  was  still  out 
upon  the  plain  where  I  had  last  seen  him  I  I  ob- 
served, moreover,  that  he  was  still  in  a  sort  of  half- 
lying,  half-kneeling  attitude,  with  his  head  close  to 
the  ground. 

"His  odd  movements  seemed  stranger  than  any- 
thing else.  I  fancied  he  had  been  badly  hurt  by  the 
other,  and  was  not  able  to  get  away. 

"  At  first  I  was  cautious  about  going  near  him,  — 
remembering  my  late  narrow  escape, —  and  I  thought 
of  giving  him  a  wide  berth,  and  leaving  him  alone. 
Even  though  wounded,  he  might  be  strong  enough 
to  charge  upon  me  ;  and  my  empty  gun,  as  I  had 
already  proved,  would  be  but  a  poor  weapon  with 
which  to  defend  myself. 

"  I  hesitated  about  going  near  him  ;  but  curiosity 
grew  strong  within  me,  as  I  watched  his  queer  ma- 
noeuvres ;  until  at  length  I  walked  up  within  a  dozen 
yards  of  where  he  was  kneeling. 

"Fancy  my  surprise  on  discovering  the  cause  of 
his  oblique  movements.  No  hurt  had  he  received  of 
any  kind  —  not  even  a  scratch  ;  but,  for  all  that,  he 
was  as  completely  crippled  as  if  he  had  lost  his  best 
pair  of  legs. 


250  A    HELPLESS    BEAST. 

"  In  a  very  singular  manner  was  he  rendered  thus 
helpless.  In  his  struggle  with  the  other  bull,  one  of 
his  fore  legs  had,  somehow  or  other,  got  passed  over 
his  horn  ;  and  there  it  stuck,  not  only  depriving  him 
of  the  use  of  the  limb  itself,  but  holding  his  head  so 
close  to  the  ground  that  he  was  quite  unable  to  stir 
from  the  spot ! 

"  At  first  I  designed  helping  him  out  of  his  diffi- 
culty, and  letting  him  go.  On  second  thoughts,  I 
remembered  the  story  of  the  husbandman  and  the 
frozen  snake,  which  quite  changed  my  intention. 

"  I  next  thought  of  killing  him  for  venison  ;  but, 
having  no  bullet,  I  did  not  like  to  beat  him  to  death 
with  my  gun.  Besides,  the  aard-vark  was  my  load  to 
camp,  and  I  knew  that  the  jackals  would  eat  the  bull 
up  before  we  could  go  back  for  him.  I  thought  it 
probable  he  would  be  safer  left  as  he  was  —  as  these 
ravenous  brutes,  seeing  him  alive,  might  not  so 
readily  approach  him. 

"So  I  left  him  with  his  'head  under  his  arm/  in 
hopes  that  we  may  find  him  there  to-morrow. " 

So  ended  Hans'  narrative  of  his  day's  adventures. 


THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-BOOM.  251 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 


THE  field-cornet  was  far  from  satisfied  with  his 
day's  work.  His  first  attempt  at  elephant-hunting 
had  proved  a  failure.  Might  it  not  be  always  so  ? 

Notwithstanding  the  interest  with  which  he  lis- 
tened to  Hans'  narrative  of  the  day's  adventures,  he 
felt  uneasy  in  his  mind  when  he  reflected  upon  his 
own. 

The  elephant  had  escaped  so  easily.  Their  bullets 
seemed  to  have  injured  him  not  the  least.  They  had 
only  served  to  render  him  furious  and  dangerous. 
Though  both  had  hit  him  in  places  where  their 
wounds  should  have  been  mortal,  no  such  effect  was 
produced.  The  elephant  seemed  to  go  off  as  un- 
scathed as  if  they  had  fired  only  boiled  peas- at  him. 

Would  it  be  always  so  ? 

True,  they  had  given  him  but  two  shots.  Two,  if 
well  directed,  may  bring  down  a  cow-elephant,  and 
sometimes  a  bull,  but  oftener  it  requires  ten  times 
two  before  a  strong  old  bull  can  be  made  to  "  bite 
the  dust." 

But  would  any  elephant  wait  until  they  could  load 
and  fire  a  sufficient  number  of  shots  ? 

That  was  an  Undecided  point  with  our  tyro  ele- 
phant-hunters. If  not,  then  they  would  be  helpless 


252  THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-ROOM. 

indeed.  It  would  be  a  tedious  business  spooring  the 
game  afoot,  after  it  had  once  been  fired  upon.  In 
such  cases  the  elephant  usually  travels  many  miles 
before  halting  again  ;  and  only  mounted  men  can 
with  any  facility  overtake  him. 

How  Von  Bloom  sighed  when  he  thought  of  his 
poor  horses  !  Now  more  than  ever  did  he  feel  the 
want  of  them — now  more  than  ever  did  he  regret 
their  loss. 

But  he  had  heard  that  the  elephant  does  not 
always  make  off  when  attacked.  The  old  bull  had 
shown  no  intention  of  retreating,  after  receiving 
their  shots.  It  was  the  odd  conduct  of  Swartboy 
that  had  put  him  to  flight.  But  for  that,  he  would 
no  doubt  have  kept  the  ground  until  they  had  given 
him  another  volley,  and  perhaps  his  death-wound. 

The  field-cornet  drew  consolation  from  this  last 
reflection.  Perhaps  their  next  encounter  would  have 
a  different  ending.  Perhaps  a  pair  of  tusks  would 
reward  them. 

The  hope  of  such  a  result,  as  well  as  the  anxiety 
about  it,  determined  Yon  Bloom  to  lose  no  time  in 
making  a  fresh  trial.  Next  morning,  therefore,  be- 
fore the  sun  was  up,  the  hunters  were  once  more 
upon  the  trail  of  their  giant  game. 

One  precaution  they  had  taken,  which  they  had 
not  thought  of  before.  All  of  them  had  heard  that 
an  ordinary  leaden  bullet  will  not  penetrate  the 
tough,  thick  skin  of  the  great  "  pachyderm.77  Per- 
haps this  had  been  the  cause  of  their  failure  on  the 
preceding  day.  If  so,  they  had  provided  against  the 
recurrence  of  failure  from  such  a  cause.  They  had 


THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-ROOM.  253 

moulded  a  new  set  of  balls,  of  harder  material,  — 
solder,  it  should  have  been,  but  they  had  none.  They 
chanced,  however,  to  be  in  possession  of  what 
served  the  purpose  equally  well  —  the  old  "plate" 
that  had  often  graced  the  field-cornet's  table  in  his 
better  by-gone  days  of  the  Graaf  Reinet.  This  con- 
sisted of  candlesticks,  and  snuffer-trays,  and  dish- 
covers,  and  cruet-stands,  and  a  variety  of  articles  of 
the  real  "  Dutch  metal." 

Some  of  these  were  condemned  to  the  alembic  of 
the  melting-pan  ;  and,  mixed  with  the  common  lead, 
produced  a  set  of  balls  hard  enough  for  the  hide  of 
the  rhinoceros  itself ;  so  that  this  day  the  hunters 
had  no  fears  of  failure  upon  the  score  of  soft  bullets. 

They  went  in  the  same  direction  as  upon  the  pre- 
ceding day,  towards  the  forest,  or  "bush"  (bosch), 
as  they  termed  it. 

They  had  not  proceeded  a  mile  when  they  came 
upon  the  spoor  of  elephants  nearly  fresh.  It  passed 
through  the  very  thickest  of  the  thorny  jungle  — 
where  no  creature  but  an  elephant,  a  rhinoceros,  or 
a  man  with  an  axe,  could  have  made  way.  A  fam- 
ily must  have  passed,  consisting  of  a  male,  a  female 
or  two,  and  several  young  ones  of  different  ages. 
They  had  marched  in  single  file,  as  elephants  usually 
do  ;  and  had  made  a  regular  lane  several  feet  wide, 
which  was  quite  clear  of  bushes,  and  trampled  by 
their  immense  footsteps.  The  old  bull,  Swartboy 
said,  had  gone  in  advance,  and  had  cleared  the  way 
of  all  obstructions,  by  means  of  his  trunk  and  tusks. 
This  had  evidently  been  the  case ;  for  the  hunters 
observed  huge  branches  broken  off,  or  still  hanging 


254  THE   ELEPHANT  S    SLEEPING-ROOM. 

and  turned  to  one  side,  out  of  the  way — just  as  if 
the  hand  of  man  had  done  it. 

Swartboy  further  affirmed  that  such  elephant- 
roads  usually  led  to  water  ;  and  by  the  very  easiest 
and  shortest  routes,  —  as  if  they  had  been  planned 
and  laid  open  by  the  skill  of  an  engineer,  —  showing 
the  rare  instinct  or  sagacity  of  these  animals. 

The  hunters,  therefore,  expected  soon  to  arrive  at 
some  watering-place ;  but  it  was  equally  probable 
the  spoor  might  be  leading  them  from  the  water. 

They  had  not  followed  it  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
mile,  when  they  came  upon  another  road  of  a  similar 
kind,  that  crossed  the  one  they  were  spooring  upon. 
This  had  also  been  made  by  a  number  of  elephants, 
—  a  family,  most  likely,  —  and  the  tracks  upon  it 
were  as  recent  as  those  they  had  been  following. 

They  hesitated  for  a  moment  which  to  take  ;  but 
at  length  concluded  upon  keeping  straight  on  ;  and 
so  they  moved  forward  as  before. 

To  their  great  disappointment  the  trail  at  last  led 
out  into  more  open  ground,  where  the  elephants  had 
scattered  about ;  and  after  following  the  tracks  of 
one  and  then  another  without  success,  they  got 
bewildered,  and  lost  the  spoor  altogether. 

While  casting  about  to  find  it  in  a  place  where  the 
bush  was  thin  and  straggling,  Swartboy  suddenly 
ran  off  to  one  side,  calling  to  the  others  to  follow 
him.  Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik  went  after  to  see 
what  the  Bushman  was  about.  They  thought  he 
had  seen  an  elephant;  and  both,  considerably  ex- 
cited, had  already  pulled  the  covers  off  their  guns. 

There  was  no   elephant,  however.      When   they 


THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-ROOM.  255 

came  up  with  Swartboy,  he  was  standing  under  a 
tree,  and  pointing  to  the  ground  at  its  bottom. 

The  hunters  looked  down.  They  saw  that  the 
ground  upon  one  side  of  the  tree  was  trampled,  as 
though  horses  or  some  other  animals  had  been  tied 
there  for  a  long  time,  and  had  worn  off  the  turf,  and 
worked  it  into  dust  with  their  hoofs.  The  bark  of 
the  tree  —  a  full-topped  shady  acacia — for  some  dis- 
tance up  was  worn  smooth  upon  one  side,  just  as 
though  cattle  had  used  it  for  a  rubbing-post. 

"What  has  done  it?"  asked  the  field-cornet  and 
Hendrik,  in  a  breath. 

"Da  olifant's  slapen-boom "  (the  elephant's  sleep- 
ing-tree), replied  Swartboy. 

No  further  explanation  was  necessary.  The  hunt- 
ers remembered  what  they  had  been  told  about  a 
curious  habit  which  the  elephant  has  of  leaning 
against  a  tree  while  asleep.  This,  then,  was  one  of 
the  sleeping-trees  of  these  animals. 

But  of  what  use  to  them,  further  than  to  gratify  a 
little  curiosity  ?  The  elephant  was  not  there. 

"Da  ole  karl  come  again/'  said  Swartboy. 

"  Ha  !  you  think  so,  Swart  ? "  inquired  Von 
Bloom. 

"  Ya,  baas,  lookee  da  I  spoor  fresh  —  da  groot  oli- 
fant  hab  slap  here  yesterday." 

"  What  then  ?  you  think  we  should  lie  in  wait,  and 
shoot  him  when  he  returns  ?" 

"No,  baas,  better  dan  shoot,  we  make  him  bed  — 
den  wait  see  um  lie  down." 

Swartboy  grinned  a  laugh  as  he  gave  this  piece  of 
advice. 


256  THE  ELEPHANT'S  SLEEPING-ROOM. 

"  Make  his  bed !  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  inquired 
his  master. 

"  I  tell  you,  baas,  we  get  da  olifant  sure,  if  you 
leave  da  job  to  ole  Swart.  I  gib  you  de  plan  for 
take  him,  no  waste  powder,  no  waste  bullet." 

The  Bushman  proceeded  to  communicate  his  plan, 
to  which  his  master  —  remembering  their  failure  of 
yesterday  —  readily  gave  his  consent. 

Fortunately  they  had  all  the  implements  that 
would  be  necessary  for  carrying  it  out,  —  a  sharp 
axe,  a  strong  rope,  or  "rheim"  of  raw-hide,  and 
their  knives,  —  and  they  set  about  the  business 
without  loss  of  time. 


257 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 


To  the  hunters  time  was  a  consideration.  If  the 
elephant  should  return  that  day,  it  would  be  just 
before  the  hottest  hours  of  noon.  They  had,  there- 
fore, scarce  an  hour  left  to  prepare  for  him  —  to 
"  make  his  bed,"  as  Swartboy  had  jocosely  termed 
it.  So  they  went  to  work  with  alacrity,  the  Bush- 
man acting  as  director-general,  while  the  other  two 
received  their  orders  from  him  with  the  utmost 
obedience. 

The  first  work  which  Swartboy  assigned  to  them 
was,  to  cut  and  prepare  three  stakes  of  hard  wood. 
They  were  to  be  each  about  three  feet  long,  as  thick 
as  a  man's  arm,  and  pointed  at  one  end. 

These  were  soon  procured.  The  iron-wood  ( Olea 
undulata),  which  grew  in  abundance  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, furnished  the  very  material ;  and  after  three 
pieces  of  sufficient  length  had  been  cut  down  with 
the  axe,  they  were  reduced  to  the  proper  size,  and 
pointed  by  the  knives  of  the  hunters. 

Meanwhile  Swartboy  had  not  been  idle.  First, 
with  his  knife  he  had  cut  a  large  section  of  bark 
from  the  elephant's  tree,  upon  the  side  against  which 
the  animal  had  been  in  the  habit  of  leaning,  and 
about  three  feet  from  the  ground.  Then  with  the 
17 


258 

axe  he  made  a  deep  notch,  where  the  bark  had  been 
removed  ;  in  fact,  such  a  notch  as  would  have  caused 
the  tree  to  fall,  had  it  been  left  to  itself.  But  it  was 
not,  for,  before  advancing  so  far  in  his  work,  Swart- 
boy  had  taken  measures  to  prevent  that.  He  had 
stayed  the  tree  by  fastening  the  rheim  to  its  upper 
branches,  on  the  opposite  side,  and  then  carrying  the 
rope  to  the  limbs  of  another  tree  that  stood  out  in 
that  direction. 

Thus  adjusted,  the  elephant's  tree  was  only  kept 
from  falling  by  the  rheim-stay,  and  a  slight  push  in 
the  direction  of  the  latter  would  have  thrown  it 
over. 

Swartboy  now  replaced  the  section  of  bark,  which 
he  had  preserved  ;  and,  after  carefully  collecting  the 
chips,  no  one,  without  close  examination,  could  have 
told  that  the  tree  had  ever  felt  the  edge  of  an  axe. 

Another  operation  yet  remained  to  be  performed, 
—  that  was,  the  planting  of  the  stakes  already  pre- 
pared by  Von  Bloom  and  Hendrik.  To  set  these 
firmly,  deep  holes  had  to  be  made.  But  Swartboy 
was  just  the  man  to  make  a  hole ;  and  in  less  than 
ten  minutes  he  had  sunk  three,  each  over  a  foot 
deep,  and  not  a  half-inch  wider  than  the  thickness 
of  the  stakes ! 

You  may  be  curious  to  know  how  he  accomplished 
this.  You  would  have  dug  a  hole  with  a  spade,  and, 
necessarily,  as  wide  as  the  spade  itself.  But  Swart- 
boy had  no  spade,  and  would  not  have  used  it  if 
there  had  been  one,  since  it  would  have  made  the 
holes  too  large  for  his  purpose. 

Swartboy  sunk   his  holes   by  "crowing/'  which 


MAKING    THE    ELEPHANTS    BED.  259 

process  he  performed  by  means  of  a  small  pointed 
stick.  With  this  he  first  loosened  the  earth  in  a 
circle  of  the  proper  size.  He  then  took  out  the  de- 
tached mould,  flung  it  away,  and  used  the  point  of 
the  "  cro wing-stick "  as  before.  Another  clearing 
out  of  mould,  another  application  of  the  stick ;  and 
so  on,  till  the  narrow  hole  was  deemed  of  sufficient 
depth.  That  was  how  Swartboy  "  crowed "  the 
holes. 

They  were  sunk  in  a  kind  of  triangle,  near  the  bot- 
tom of  the  tree,  but  on  the  side  opposite  to  that 
where  the  elephant  would  stand,  should  he  occupy 
his  old  ground. 

In  each  hole  Swartboy  now  set  a  stake,  thick  end 
down  and  point  upwards ;  some  small  pebbles,  and 
a  little  mould  worked  in  at  the  sides,  wedged  them 
as  firmly  as  if  they  had  grown  there. 

The  stakes  were  now  daubed  over  with  soft  earth, 
to  conceal  the  white  color  of  the  wood ;  the  remain- 
ing chips  were  picked  up,  and  all  traces  of  the  work 
completely  obliterated.  This  done,  the  hunters  with- 
drew from  the  spot. 

They  did  not  go  far,  but,  choosing  a  large  bushy 
tree  to  leeward,  all  three  climbed  up  into  it,  and  sat 
concealed  among  its  branches. 

The  field-cornet  held  his  long  "  roer  "  in  readiness, 
and  so  did  Hendrik  his  rifle.  In  case  the  ingenious 
trap  of  Swartboy  should  fail,  they  intended  to  use 
their  guns,  but  not  otherwise. 

It  was  now  quite  noon,  and  the  day  had  turned 
out  one  of  the  hottest.  But  for  the  shade  afforded 
by  the  leaves,  they  would  have  felt  it  very  distress- 


260  MAKING    THE   ELEPHANT'S    BED. 

ing.  Swartboy  prognosticated  favorably  from  this. 
The  great  heat  would  be  more  likely  than  anything 
else  to  send  the  elephant  to  his  favorite  sleeping- 
place  under  the  cool,  shady  cover  of  the  cameeldoorn. 

It  was  now  quite  noon.  He  could  not  be  long  in 
coming,  thought  they. 

Sure  enough,  he  came,  and  soon,  too. 

They  had  not  been  twenty  minutes  on  their  perch, 
when  they  heard  a  strange,  rumbling  noise,  which 
they  knew  proceeded  from  the  stomach  of  an  ele- 
phant. The  next  moment  they  saw  one  emerge  from 
the  jungle,  and  walk  with  sweeping  step  straight  up 
to  the  tree.  He  seemed  to  have  no  suspicion  of  any 
danger ;  but  placed  himself  at  once  alongside  the 
trunk  of  the  acacia,  in  the  very  position  and  on  the 
side  Swartboy  had  said  he  would  take.  From  his 
spoor  the  Bushman  knew  he  had  been  in  the  habit 
of  so  standing. 

His  head  was  turned  from  the  hunters,  but  not  so 
much  as  to  prevent  them  from  seeing  a  pair  of 
splendid  tusks,  —  six  feet  long,  at  the  least. 

While  gazing  in  admiration  at  these  rich  trophies, 
they  saw  the  animal  point  his  proboscis  upward,  and 
discharge  a  vast  shower  of  water  into  the  leaves, 
which  afterwards  fell  dripping  in  bright  globules 
over  his  body. 

Swartboy  said  that  he  drew  the  water  from  his 
stomach.  Although  closet-naturalists  deny  this,  it 
must  have  been  so ;  for,  shortly  after,  he  repeated 
the  act  again  and  again,  the  quantity  of  water  at 
each  discharge  being  as  great  as  before.  It  was 


MAKING    THE    ELEPHANTS    BED.  261 

plain  that  his  trunk,  large  as  it  was,  could  not  have 
contained  it  all. 

He  seemed  to  enjoy  this  "  shower-bath ;  "  and  the 
hunters  did  not  wonder  at  it,  for  they  themselves, 
suffering  at  the  time  from  heat  and  thirst,  would 
have  relished  something  of  a  similar  kind.  As  the 
crystal  drops  fell  back  from  the  acacia-leaves,  the 
huge  animal  was  heard  to  utter  a  low  grunt,  express- 
ive of  gratification.  The  hunters  hoped  that  this 
was  the  prelude  to  his  sleep,  and  watched  him  with 
intense  earnestness. 

It  proved  to  be  so. 

As  they  sat  gazing,  they  noticed  that  his  head 
sunk  a  little,  his  ears  ceased  their  flapping,  his  tail 
hung  motionless,  and  his  trunk,  now  twined  around 
his  tusks,  remained  at  rest. 

They  gaze  intently.  Now  they  see  his  body  droop 
a  little  to  one  side  —  now  it  touches  the  tree  —  there 
is  heard  a  loud  crack,  followed  by  a  confused  crash- 
ing of  branches,  and  the  huge  dark  body  of  the  ele- 
phant sinks  upon  its  side. 

At  the  same  instant  a  terrible  scream  drowns  all 
other  sounds,  causing  the  forest  to  echo,  and  the 
very  leaves  to  quake.  Then  follows  a  confused  roar- 
ing, mingled  with  the  noise  of  cracking  branches, 
and  the  struggles  of  the  mighty  brute  where  he  lies, 
kicking  his  giant  limbs  along  the  earth  in  the  agonies 
of  death ! 

The  hunters  remain  in  the  tree.  They  see  that 
the  elephant  is  down  —  that  he  is  impaled.  There 
will  be  no  need  for  their  puny  weapons.  Their  game 
has  already  received  the  death- wound. 


262  MAKING    THE   ELEPHANT'S    BED. 

The  struggle  is  of  short  duration.  The  painful 
breathing  that  precedes  death  is  heard  issuing  from 
the  long  proboscis  ;  and  then  follows  a  deep,  ominous 
silence. 

The  hunters  leap  down  and  approach  the  prostrate 
body.  They  see  that  it  still  lies  upon  the  terrible 
chevaux  de  frise,  where  it  had  fallen.  The  stakes 
have  done  their  work  most  effectively.  The  elephant 
breathes  no  more.  He  is  dead  ! 


It  was  the  work  of  an  hour  to  cut  out  those  splen- 
did tusks.  But  our  hunters  thought  nothing  of  that ; 
and  they  were  only  the  more  pleased  to  find  each  of 
them  a  heavy  load,  as  much  as  a  man  could  carry ! 

Von  Bloom  shouldered  one,  Swartboy  the  other, 
while  Hendrik  loaded  himself  with  the  guns  and  im- 
plements ;  and  all  three,  leaving  the  carcass  of  the 
dead  elephant  behind  them,  returned  triumphantly 
to  camp. 


THE    WILD    ASSES    OF    AFRICA.  263 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

THE    WILD    ASSES    OF   AFRICA. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  success  of  the  day's  hunt, 
the  mind  of  Von  Bloom  was  not  at  rest.  They  had 
"  bagged "  their  game,  it  was  true,  but  in  what 
manner?  Their  success  was  a  mere  accident,  and 
gave  them  no  earnest  of  what  might  be  expected  in 
the  future.  They  might  go  long  before  finding 
another  "  sleeping-tree "  of  the  elephants,  and  re- 
peating their  easy  capture. 

Such  were  the  not  very  pleasant  reflections  of  the 
field-cornet,  on  the  evening  after  returning  from  their 
successful  hunt. 

But  still  less  pleasant  were  they,  two  weeks  later, 
at  the  retrospect  of  many  an  unsuccessful  chase  from 
which  they  had  returned,  when,  after  twelve  days 
sjpent  in  "jaging"  the  elephant,  they  had  added 
only  a  single  pair  of  tusks  to  the  collection,  and 
these  the  tusks  of  a  cow-elephant,  scarce  two  feet  in 
length,  and  of  little  value. 

The  reflection  was  not  the  less  painful,  that  nearly 
every  day  they  had  fallen  in  with  elephants,  and  had 
obtained  a  shot  or  two  at  these  animals.  That  did 
not  mend  the  matter  a  bit.  On  the  contrary,  it 
taught  the  hunter  how  easily  they  could  run  away 
from  him,  as  they  invariably  did.  It  taught  him 

• 


264  THE    WILD    ASSES    OF    AFRICA. 

how  small  his  chances  were  of  capturing  such  game, 
so  long  as  he  could  only  follow  it  afoot. 

The  hunter  on  foot  stands  but  a  poor  chance  with 
the  elephant.  Stalking  in  upon  one  is  easy  enough, 
and  perhaps  obtaining  a  single  shot ;  but  when  the 
animal  trots  off  through  the  thick  jungle,  it  is  tedious 
work  following  him.  He  may  go  miles  before  halt- 
ing, and  even  if  the  hunter  should  overtake  him,  it 
may  be  only  to  deliver  a  second  shot,  and  see  the 
game  once  more  disappear  into  the  bushes,  perhaps 
to  be  spoored  no  further. 

Now,  the  mounted  hunter  has  this  advantage.  His 
horse  can  overtake  the  elephant;  and  it  is  a  pecu- 
liarity of  this  animal,  that  the  moment  he  finds  that 
his  enemy,  whatever  it  be,  can  do  that  thing,  he  dis- 
dains to  run  any  further,  but  at  once  stands  to  bay ; 
and  the  hunter  may  then  deliver  as  many  shots  as 
he  pleases. 

Herein  lies  the  great  advantage  of  the  hunter  on 
horseback.  Another  advantage  is  the  security  the 
horse  affords,  enabling  his  rider  to  avoid  the  charges 
of  the  angry  elephant. 

No  wonder  Von  Bloom  sighed  for  a  horse.  No 
wonder  he  felt  grieved  at  the  want  of  this  noble 
companion,  that  would  have  aided  him  so  much  in 
the  chase. 

He  grieved  all  the  more,  now  that  he  had  become 
acquainted  with  the  district,  and  had  found  it  so  full 
of  elephants.  Troops  of  a  hundred  had  been  seen; 
and  these  far  from  being  shy,  or  disposed  to  make 
off  after  a  shot  or  two.  Perhaps  they  had  never 


THE    WILD    ASSES    OF   AFRICA.  265 

heard  the  report  of  a  gun  before  that  of  his  own  long 
roer  pealed  in  their  huge  ears. 

With  a  horse,  the  field-cornet  believed  he  could 
have  killed  many,  and  obtained  much  valuable  ivory. 
Without  one,  his  chances  of  carrying  out  his  design 
were  poor  indeed.  His  hopes  were  likely  to  end  in 
disappointment. 

He  felt  this  keenly.  The  bright  prospects  he  had 
so  ardently  indulged  in  became  clouded  over,  and 
fears  for  the  future  once  more  harassed  him.  He 
would  only  waste  his  time  in  this  wilderness.  His 
children  would  live  without  books,  without  educa- 
tion, without  society.  Were  he  to  be  suddenly  called 
away,  what  would  become  of  them?  His  pretty 
Gertrude  would  be  no  better  off  than  a  little  savage  ; 
his  sons  would  become,  not  in  sport,  as  he  was  wont 
to  call  them,  but  in  reality,  a  trio  of  "  Bush-boys." 

Once  more  these  thoughts  filled  the  heart  of  the 
father  with  pain.  0,  what  would  he  not  have  given 
at  that  moment  for  a  pair  of  horses,  of  any  sort 
whatever ! 

The  field-cornet,  while  making  these  reflections, 
was  seated  in  the  great  nwana-tree,  upon  the  plat- 
form that  had  been  built  on  the  side  towards  the 
lake,  and  from  which  a  full  view  could  be  obtained 
of  the  water.  From  this  point  a  fine  view  could  also 
be  obtained  of  the  country  which  lay  to  the  eastward 
of  the  lake.  At  some  distance  off  it  was  wooded, 
but  nearer  the  vley  a  grassy  plain  lay  spread  before 
the  eye  like  a  green  meadow. 

The  eyes  of  the  hunter  were  turned  outward  on 
this  plain,  and  just  then  his  glance  fell  upon  a  troop 


266  THE    WILD    ASSES    OF    AFRICA. 

of  animals  crossing  the  open  ground,  and  advancing 
towards  the  vley. 

They  were  large  animals,  nearly  of  the  shape  and 
size  of  small  horses  ;  and,  travelling  in  single  file,  as 
they  were,  the  troop  at  a  distance  presented  some- 
thing of  the  appearance  of  a  "  cafila,"  or  caravan. 
There  were,  in  all,  about  fifty  individuals  in  the  line  ; 
and  they  marched  along  with  a  steady,  sober  pace, 
as  if  under  the  guidance  and  direction  of  some  wise 
leader.  How  very  different  from  the  capricious  and 
eccentric  movements  of  the  gnoos  ! 

Individually,  they  bore  some  resemblance  to  these 
last-named  animals.  In  the  shape  of  their  bodies 
and  tails,  in  their  general  ground  color,  and  in  the 
"brindled"  or  tiger-like  stripes  that  could  be  per- 
ceived upon  their  cheeks,  neck,  and  shoulders.  These 
stripes  were  exactly  of  the  same  form  as  those  upon 
a  zebra ;  but  far  less  distinct,  and  not  extending  to 
the  body  or  limbs,  as  is  the  case  with  the  true  zebra. 
In  general  color,  and  in  some  other  respects,  the 
animals  reminded  one  of  the  ass  ;  but  their  heads, 
necks,  and  the  upper  part  of  their  bodies,  were  of 
darker  hue,  slightly  tinged  with  reddish  brown.  In 
fact,  the  new-comers  had  points  of  resemblance  to 
all  four, — horse,  ass,  gnoo,  and  zebra,  —  and  yet 
they  were  distinct  from  any.  To  the  zebra  they  bore 
the  greatest  resemblance,  for  they  were  in  reality  a 
species  of  zebra  —  they  were  quaggas. 

Modern  naturalists  have  divided  the  Equidce,  or 
horse  family,  into  two  genera  —  the  horse  (equus) 
and  the  ass  (asinas)  — the  principal  points  of  distinc- 
tion being,  that  animals  of  the  horse  kind  have  long 


THE  WILD  ASSES  OF  AFRICA.  267 

flawing  manes,  full  tails,  and  warty  callosities  on 
both  hind  and  fore  limbs  ;  while  asses,  on  the  con- 
trary, have  short,  meagre,  and  upright  manes,  tails 
slender,  and  furnished  only  with  long  hairs  at  the 
extremity,  and  their  hind  limbs  wanting  the  callosi- 
ties. These,  however,  are  found  on  the  fore  legs,  as 
upon  horses. 

Although  there  are  many  varieties  of  the  horse 
genus,  scores  of  them,  widely  differing  from  each 
other,  they  can  all  be  easily  recognized  by  these 
characteristic  marks,  from  the  "  Suffolk  Punch/7  the 
great  London  drayhorse,  down  to  his  diminutive 
little  cousin,  the  "Shetland  Pony." 

The  varieties  of  the  ass  are  nearly  as  numerous, 
though  this  fact  is  not  generally  known. 

First,  we  have  the  common  ass  (Asinus  vulgaris), 
the  type  of  the  genus ;  and  of  this  there  are  many 
breeds  in  different  countries,  some  nearly  as  elegant 
and  as  highly  prized  as  horses.  Next  there  is  the 
"onagra,"  "  koulan,"  or  "wild-ass"  (A.  onager], 
supposed  to  be  the  origin  of  the  common  kind.  This 
is  a  native  of  Asia,  though  it  is  also  found  in  the 
north-eastern  parts  of  Africa.  There  is  also  the 
"  dziggetai,"  or  "  great  wild-ass  ;;  (A.  hemionus),  of 
Central  and  Southern  Asia,  and  another  smaller  spe- 
cies, the  "ghur"  (A.  Hamar],  found  in  Persia. 
Again,  there  is  the  "kiang"  (A  kiang},  met  with  in 
Ladakh,  and  the  "yo-totze"  (A.  equulus),  an  inhab- 
itant of  Chinese  Tartary. 

All  these  are  Asiatic  species,  found  in  a  wild  state, 
and  differing  from  one  another  in  color,  size,  form, 


268  THE    WILD    ASSES    OF   AFRICA. 

and  even  in  habits.  Many  of  them  are  of  elegant 
form,  and  swift  as  the  swiftest  horses. 

In  this  little  book  we  cannot  afford  room  for  a 
description  of  each,  but  must  confine  our  remarks  to 
what  is  more  properly  our  subject  —  the  wild  asses 
of  Africa.  Of  these  there  are  six  or  seven  kinds, 
perhaps  more. 

First,  there  is  the  "  wild  ass  "  (A.  onager),  which, 
as  already  stated,  extends  from  Asia  into  the  north- 
eastern parts  of  Africa,  contiguous  to  the  former 
continent. 

Next  there  is  the  "koomrah,"  of  which  very  little 
is  known,  except  that  it  inhabits  the  forests  of 
Northern  Africa,  and  is  solitary  in  its  habits,  unlike 
most  of  the  other  species.  The  koomrah  has  been 
described  as  a  "  wild  horse,"  but  most  probably  it 
belongs  to  the  genus  asinus. 

Now,  there  are  four  other  species  of  "  wild  asses  " 
in  Africa,  —  wild  horses,  some  call  them,  —  and  a  fifth 
reported  by  travellers,  but  as  yet  undetermined. 
These  species  bear  such  a  resemblance  to  one  another 
in  their  form,  the  peculiar  markings  of  their  bodies, 
size,  and  general  habits,  that  they  may  be  classed 
together  under  the  title  of  the  zebra  family.  First, 
there  is  the  true  zebra  (Equus  zebra),  perhaps  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  quadrupeds,  and  of  which  no 
description  need  be  given.  Second,  the  "dauw," 
or  "  Burchell's  zebra,"  as  it  is  more  frequently 
called  (E.  Burchellii).  Third,  the  "  congo  dauw  "  (E. 
hippotigris),  closely  resembling  the  dauw.  Fourth, 
the  "quagga"  (E.  quagga)  ;  and  fifth,  the  undeter- 
mined species  known  as  the  "white  zebra"  (E.  Isa- 


THE    WILD    ASSES    OF    AFRICA.  269 

bellinus],  so  called  from  its  pale  yellow,  or  Isabella 
color. 

These  five  species  evidently  have  a  close  affinity 
with  each  other,  all  of  them  being  more  or  less  marked 
with  the  peculiar  transversal  bands  or  "stripes" 
which  are  the  well-known  characteristics  of  the 
zebra.  Even  the  quagga  is  so  banded  upon  the  head 
and  upper  parts  of  its  body. 

The  zebra  proper  is  "striped7'  from  the  tip  of 
the  nose  to  its  very  hoofs,  and  the  bands  are  of  a 
uniform  black,  while  the  ground  color  is  nearly  white, 
or  white  tinged  with  a  pale  yellow.  The  "  dauws," 
on  the  other  hand,  are  not  banded  upon  the  legs  ; 
the  rays  are  not  so  dark  or  well-defined,  and  the 
ground  color  is  not  so  pure  or  clean-looking.  For 
the  rest,  all  these  three  species  are  much  alike  ;  and 
it  is  more  than  probable  that  either  "BurchelPs" 
or  the  "  congo  dauw  "  was  the  species  to  which  the 
name  of  "zebra"  was  first  applied;  for  that  which 
is  now  called  the  "true  zebra"  inhabits  those  parts 
of  Africa  where  it  was  less  likely  to  have  been  the 
first  observed  of  the  genus.  At  all  events,  the 
"  congo  dauw  "  is  the  "  hippotigris,"  or  tiger-horse, 
of  the  Romans  ;  and  this  we  infer  from  its  inhabiting 
a  more  northerly  part  of  Africa  than  the  others,  all 
of  which  belong  to  the  southern  half  of  that  conti- 
nent. The  habitat  of  the  zebra  is  said  to  extend  as 
far  north  as  Abyssinia;  but,  perhaps,  the  "congo 
dauw,"  which  certainly  inhabits  Abyssinia,  has  been 
mistaken  for  the  true  zebra. 

Of  the  four  species  in  South  Africa,  the  zebra  is  a 
mountain  animal,  and  dwells  among  the  cliffs,  while 


270  THE    WILD    ASSES    OF    AFRICA. 

the  dauw  and  quagga  rove  over  the  plains  and  wild 
karoo  deserts.  In  similar  situations  to  these  has 
the  "white  zebra"  been  observed,  —  though  only  by 
the  traveller  Le  Vaillant, —  and  hence  the  doubt 
about  its  existence  as  a  distinct  species. 

None  of  the  kinds  associate  together,  though  each 
herds  with  other  animals.  The  quagga  keeps  com- 
pany with  the  gnoo,  the  "  dauw  "  with  the  "  brindled 
gnoo,"  while  the  tall  ostrich  stalks  in  the  midst  of 
the  herds  of  both. 

There  is  much  difference  in  the  nature  and  dispo- 
sition of  the  different  species.  The  mountain  zebra 
is  very  shy  and  wild ;  the  dauw  is  almost  untama- 
ble ;  while  the  quagga  is  of  a  timid,  docile  nature, 
and  may  be  trained  to  harness  with  as  much  facility 
as  a  horse. 

The  reason  why  this  has  not  been  done  is  simply 
because  the  farmers  of  South  Africa  have  horses  in 
plenty,  and  do  not  stand  in  need  of  the  quagga, 
either  for  saddle  or  harness. 

But,  though  Von  Bloom  the  farmer  had  never 
thought  of  "breaking  in  "  a  quagga,  Von  Bloom  the 
hunter  now  did. 


PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUAGGAS.    271 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUAGGAS. 

UP  to  this  time  the  field-cornet  had  scarce  deigned 
to  notice  the  quaggas.  He  knew  what  they  were, 
and  had  often  seen  a  drove  of  them  —  perhaps  the 
same  one  —  approach  the  vley  and  drink.  Neither 
he  nor  any  of  his  people  had  molested  them,  though 
they  might  have  killed  many.  They  knew  that  the 
yellow  oily  flesh  of  these  animals  was  not  fit  for  food, 
and  is  only  eaten  by  the  hungry  natives  ;  that  their 
hides,  although  sometimes  used  for  grain-sacks  and 
other  common  purposes,  are  of  very  little  value. 
For  these  reasons,  they  had  suffered  them  to  come 
and  go  quietly.  They  did  not  wish  to  waste  powder 
and  lead  upon  them  ;  neither  did  they  desire  wantonly 
to  destroy  such  harmless  creatures. 

Every  evening,  therefore,  the  quaggas  had  drunk 
at  the  vley  and  gone  off  again,  without  exciting  the 
slightest  interest. 

Not  so  upon  this  occasion.  A  grand  design  now 
occupied  the  mind  of  Von  Bloom.  The  troop  of 
quaggas  became  suddenly  invested  with  as  much  in- 
terest as  if  it  had  been  a  herd  of  elephants  ;  and  the 
field-cornet  had  started  to  his  feet,  and  stood  gazing 
upon  them,  his  eyes  sparkling  with  pleasure  and  ad- 
miration. 


272    PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUAGGAS. 

He  admired  their  prettily-striped  heads,  their 
plump,  well-turned  bodies,  their  light,  elegant 
limbs  ;  in  short,  he  admired  everything  about  them, 
—  size,  color,  and  proportions.  Never  before  had 
quaggas  appeared  so  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  the  vee- 
boor. 

But  why  this  new-born  admiration  for  the  despised 
quaggas  ?  —  for  despised  they  are  by  the  Cape  farmer, 
who  shoots  them  only  to  feed  his  Hottentot  servants. 
Why  had  they  so  suddenly  become  such  favorites 
with  the  field-cornet  ?  That  you  will  understand  by 
knowing  the  reflections  that  were  just  then  passing 
through  his  mind. 

They  were  as  follows  : 

Might  not  a  number  of  these  animals  be  caught  and 

broken  in  ?  —  Why  not  ?     Might  they  not  be  trained 

to  the  saddle  ?  —  Why  not  ?     Might  they  not  serve 

him  for  hunting  the  elephant  just  as  well  as  horses  ? 

-  Why  not  ? 

Von  Bloom  asked  these  three  questions  of  him- 
self. Half  a  minute  served  to  answer  them  all  in  the 
affirmative.  There  was  neither  impossibility  nor 
improbability  in  any  of  the  three  propositions.  It 
was  clear  that  the  thing  could  be  done,  and  without 
difficulty. 

A  new  hope  sprang  up  in  the  heart  of  the  field- 
cornet.  Once  more  his  countenance  became  radiant 
with  joy. 

He  communicated  his  thoughts  both  to  the  Bush- 
man and  "  Bush-boys,"  all  of  whom  highly  approved 
of  the  idea,  and  only  wondered  that  none  of  them 
had  thought  of  it  before. 


PLANNING   THE   CAPTURE   OP   THE   QUAGGAS.         273 

And  now  the  question  arose  as  to  how  the  quaggas 
were  to  be  captured.  This  was  the  first  point  to  be 
settled,  and  the  four  —  Von  Bloom  himself,  Hans, 
Hendrik,  and  Swartboy  —  sat  deliberately  down  to 
concoct  some  plan  of  effecting  this  object. 

Of  course  they  could  do  nothing  just  then,  and  the 
drove  that  had  come  to  drink  was  allowed  to  depart 
peacefully.  The  hunters  knew  they  would  return  on 
the  morrow  about  the  same  hour,  and  it  was  towards 
their  return  that  the  thoughts  of  all  were  bent. 

Hendrik  advised  "creasing,"  which  means  send- 
ing a  bullet  through  the  upper  part  of  the  neck,  near 
the  withers,  and  by  this  means  a  quagga  can  be 
i  knocked  over  and  captured.  The  shot,  if  properly 
directed,  does  not  kill  the  animal.  It  soon  recovers, 
and  may  be  easily  "broken,"  though  its  spirit  is 
generally  broken  at  the  same  time.  It  is  never  "  it- 
self again."  Hendrik  understood  the  mode  of  "  creas- 
ing." He  had  seen  it  practised  by  the  boor-hunters. 
He  knew  the  spot  where  the  bullet  should  hit.  He 
believed  he  could  do  it  easily  enough. 

Hans  considered  the  "  creasing  "  too  cruel  a  mode. 
They  might  kill  many  quaggas  before  obtaining  one 
that  was  hit  in  the  proper  place.  Besides,  there 
would  be  a  waste  of  powder  and  bullets,  —  a  thing  to 
be  considered.  Why  could  they  not  snare  the  ani- 
mals ?  He  had  heard  of  nooses  being  set  for  animals 
as  large  as  the  quaggas,  and  of  many  being  caught 
in  that  manner. 

Hendrik  did  not  think  the  idea  of  snaring  a  good 
one.  They  might  get  one  in  that  way,  —  the  fore- 
most of  the  drove,  — but  all  the  others,  seeing  the 
18 


274    PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OP  THE  QUAGGAS. 

leader  caught,  would  gallop  off,  and  return  no  more 
to  the  vley  i  and  where  would  they  set  their  snare 
for  a  second  ?  It  might  be  a  long  time  before  they 
should  find  another  watering-place  of  these  animals  ; 
whereas  they  might  stalk  and  crease  them  upon  the 
plains  at  any  time. 

Swartboy  now  put  in  his  plan.  It  was  the  pit-fall 
That  was  the  way  by  which  Bushmen  most  generally 
caught  large  animals,  and  Swartboy  perfectly  under- 
stood how  to  construct  a  pit  for  quaggas. 

Hendrik  saw  objections  to  this,  very  similar  to 
those  he  had  urged  against  the  snare.  The  foremost 
of  the  quaggas  might  be  caught,  but  the  others  would 
not  be  fools  enough  to  walk  into  the  pit  after  their 
leader  had  fallen  in  and  laid  the  trap  open.  They 
of  course  would  gallop  off,  and  never  come  back  that 
way  again. 

If  it  could  be  done  at  night,  Hendrik  admitted  the 
thing  might  be  different.  In  the  darkness  several 
might  rush  in  before  catching  the  alarm.  But  no  ; 
the  quaggas  had  always  come  to  drink  in  the  day- 
time. One  only  could  be  trapped,  and  then  the 
others,  alarmed,  would  keep  away. 

There  would  have  been  reason  in  what  Hendrik 
said,  but  for  a  remarkable  fact  which  the  field-cornet 
himself  had  observed  when  the  quaggas  came  to  the 
lake  to  drink.  It  was  that  the  animals  had  invariably 
entered  the  water  at  one  point,  and  gone  out  at 
another.  It  was  of  course  a  mere  accident  that  they 
did  so,  and  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  ground  ;  but 
such  was  the  case,  and  Von  Bloom  had  observed  it 
on  several  occasions.  They  were  accustomed  to  en- 


PLANNING  THE  CAPTURE  OF  THE  QUAGGAS.    275 

ter  by  the  gorge  already  described,  and,  after  drink- 
ing, wade  along  the  shallow  edge  for  some  yards, 
and  then  pass  out  by  another  break  in  the  bank. 

The  knowledge  of  this  fact  was  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance, and  all  saw  that  at  once.  A  pit-fall  dug 
upon  the  path  by  which  the  animals  entered  the  lake 
would  no  doubt  operate  as  Hendrik  said ;  one 
might  be  caught,  and  all  the  rest  frightened  off.  But 
a  similar  trap  placed  upon  the  trail  that  led  outward 
would  bring  about  a  very  different  result.  Once  the 
quaggas  had  finished  drinking,  and  just  at  the  mo- 
ment they  were  heading  out  of  the  water,  the  hunt- 
ers could  show  themselves  upon  the  opposite  side, 
set  the  troop  in  quick  motion,  and  gallop  them  into  the 
trap.  By  this  means  not  only  one,  but  a  whole  pit- 
full,  might  be  captured  at  once. 

All  this  appeared  so  feasible  that  not  another  sug- 
gestion was  offered  ;  the  plan  of  the  pit-fall  was  at 
once  and  unanimously  adopted. 

It  remained  only  to  dig  the  pit,  cover  it  properly, 
and  then  wait  the  result. 

During  all  the  time  their  capture  was  being  planned, 
the  herd  of  quaggas  had  remained  in  sight,  disport- 
ing themselves  upon  the  open  plain.  It  was  a  tan- 
talizing sight  to  Hendrik,  who  would  have  liked 
much  to  have  shown  his  marksman  skill  by  "  creas- 
ing "  one.  But  the  young  hunter  saw  that  it  would 
be  imprudent  to  fire  at  them  there,  as  it  would  pre- 
vent them  from  returning  to  the  vley ;  so  he  re- 
strained himself,  and,  along  with  the  others,  remained 
watching  the  quaggas,  all  regarding  them  with  a 


276          PLANNING    THE    CAPTURE    OF   THE    QUAGGAS. 

degree  of  interest  which  they  had  never  before  felt 
in  looking  at  a  drove  of  these  animals. 

The  quaggas  saw  nothing  of  them,  although  quite 
near  to  the  great  nwana-tree.  They,  the  hunters, 
were  up  among  the  branches,  where  the  animals  did 
not  think  of  looking,  and  there  was  nothing  around 
the  bottom  of  the  tree  to  cause  them  alarm.  The 
wagon-wheels  had  long  ago  been  disposed  of  in  the 
bush,  partly  to  shelter  them  from  the  sun,  and  partly 
because  game  animals  frequently  came  within  shot 
of  the  tree,  and  were  thus  obtained  without  any 
trouble.  There  were  scarce  any  traces  upon  the 
ground  that  would  have  betrayed  the  existence  of  a 
"  camp  "  in  the  tree  ;  and  a  person  might  have  passed 
very  near  without  noticing  the  odd  aerial  dwelling 
of  the  hunter  family. 

All  this  was  design  upon  the  part  of  the  field-cor- 
net. As  yet  he  knew  little  of  the  country  around. 
He  did  not  know  but  that  it  might  contain  worse 
enemies  than  either  hyenas  or  lions. 

While  they  sat  watching  the  manoeuvres  of  the 
quaggas,  a  movement  was  made  by  one  of  these 
creatures  more  singular  than  any  that  had  yet  been 
witnessed. 

The  animal  in  question  was  browsing  quietly  along, 
and  at  length  approached  a  small  clump  of  bushes 
that  stood  out  in  the  open  ground.  When  close  to  the 
copse,  it  was  observed  to  make  a  sudden  spring  for- 
ward, and  almost  at  the  same  instant  a  shaggy  creat- 
ure leaped  out  of  the  bushes,  and  ran  off.  This  last 
was  no  other  than  the  ugly  "striped"  hyena.  In- 
stead of  turning  upon  the  quagga  and  showing  fight, 


THE    QUAGGA   AND    THE    HYENA.  Page      277. 


PLANNING    THE    CAPTURE    OF    THE    QUAGGA3.  277 

as  one  might  have  supposed  so  strong  and  fierce  a 
brute  would  have  done,  the  hyena  uttered  a  howl  of 
alarm,  and  ran  off  as  fast  as  its  legs  would  carry  it. 

They  did  not  carry  it  far.  It  was  evidently  mak- 
ing for  a  larger  tract  of  bush  that  grew  near  ;  but 
before  it  had  got  half-way  across  the  open  'ground, 
the  quagga  came  up  behind,  and,  uttering  his  shrill 
"  couaag,"  reared  forward,  and  dropped  with  his 
fore-hoofs  upon  the  hyena's  back.  At  the  same  in- 
stant the  neck  of  the  carnivorous  animal  was  clutched 
by  the  teeth  of  the  ruminant,  and  held  as  fast  as  if 
grasped  by  a  vice. 

All  looked  to  see  the  hyena  free  itself  and  run  off 
again.  They  looked  in  vain.  It  never  ran  another 
yard.  It  never  came  alive  out  of  the  clutch  of  those 
terrible  teeth. 

The  quagga  still  held  his  struggling  victim  with 
firm  hold,  trampling  it  with  his  hoofs,  and  shaking  it 
in  his  strong  jaws,  until  in  a  few  minutes  the  screams 
of  the  hyena  ceased,  and  his  mangled  carcass  lay 
motionless  upon  the  plain. 

One  would  think  that  this  incident  might  have 
been  enough  to  warn  our  hunters  to  be  cautious 
in  their  dealings  with  the  quagga.  Such  a  sharp 
biter  would  be  no  pleasant  horse  to  "bit  and 
bridle." 

But  all  knew  the  antipathy  that  exists  between 
the  wild  horse  and  the  hyena,  and  that  the  quagga, 
thoiigh  roused  to  fury  at  the  sight  of  one  of  these 
animals,  is  very  different  in  its  behavior  towards 
man.  So  strong,  in  fact,  is  this  antipathy,  and  so 
complete  is  the  mastery  of  the  ruminant  over  the 


278          PLANNING    THE    CAPTURE   OF   THE    QUAGGAS. 

carnivorous  animal,  that  the  frontier  farmers  often 
take  advantage  of  these  peculiar  facts,  and  keep  the 
hyenas  from  their  cattle  by  bringing  up  with  the 
herd  a  number  of  quaggas,  who  act  as  its  guards 
and  protectors. 


THE    PIT-TRAP.  279 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

THE    PIT-TRAP. 

WHILE  they  were  watching  the  movements  of  the 
quaggas,  Von  Bloom  rose  suddenly  to  his  feet.  All 
turned  their  eyes  upon  him  as  he  did  so.  They  saw 
by  his  manner  that  he  was  about  to  propose  some- 
thing. What  could  it  be  ? 

The  thought  had  just  occurred  to  him  that  they 
should  at  once  set  about  digging  the  pit. 

It  was  near  sunset — wanting  only  half  an  hour  of 
it ;  and  one  would  suppose  he  would  have  done 
better  to  leave  the  work  till  next  morning.  But  no. 
There  was  a  good  reason  why  they  should  set  about 
it  at  once  ;  and  that  was,  that  they  might  not  be 
able  to  complete  it  in  time  if  they  did  not  do  part  of 
it  that  night. 

It  would  be  no  slight  undertaking  to  dig  a  pit  of 
proper  size,  for  they  would  require  one  that  would 
at  least  hold  half  a  dozen  quaggas  at  a  time.  Then 
there  was  the  carrying  away  the  earth  that  should 
come  out  of  it,  the  cutting  the  poles  and  branches 
to  cover  it,  and  the  placing  of  these  in  a  proper 
manner. 

To  do  all  these  things  would  take  up  a  great  deal 
of  time  ;  and  they  must  be  all  done  against  the 
return  of  the  quaggas,  else  the  whole  scheme  would 


280  THE  PIT-TRAP. 

be  a  failure.  Should  the  animals  arrive  upon  the 
ground  before  the  pit  was  covered  in  and  all  traces 
of  the  work  removed,  they  would  make  off  without 
entering  the  water,  and  perhaps  never  visit  that 
vley  again. 

Such  were  the  conjectures  of  the  field-cornet. 
Hans,  Hendrik,  and  Swartboy,  acknowledged  their 
justice.  All  saw  the  necessity  of  going  to  work  at 
once,  and  to  work  they  all  went. 

Fortunately,  among  the  "  implements  "  were  two 
good  spades,  a  shovel,  and  a  pick-axe,  and  all  of 
them  could  be  busy  at  the  same  time.  There  were 
baskets  in  which  the  dirt  could  be  carried  off,  and 
thrown  into  the  deep  channel  close  by,  where  it 
would  not  be  seen.  This  was  also  a  fortunate  cir- 
cumstance ;  for  to  have  carried  the  stuff  any  great 
distance  would  have  made  the  job  still  heavier,  and 
more  difficult  to  execute  in  proper  time. 

Having  marked  the  outlines  of  the  pit,  they  went 
to  work  with  spade,  shovel,  and  pick.  The  ground 
proved  tolerably  loose,  and  the  pick  was  but  little 
needed.  The  field-cornet  himself  handled  one  of  the 
spades,  Hendrik  the  other,  while  Swartboy  acted  as 
shoveller,  and  filled  the  baskets  as  fast  as  Hans  and 
Totty,  assisted  by  Truey  and  little  Jan,  could  empty 
them.  These  last  carried  a  small  basket  of  their 
own,  and  contributed  very  materially  to  the  progress 
of  the  work,  by  lightening  the  labors  of  Hans  and 
Totty. 

And  so  the  work  went  merrily  on  until .  midnight, 
and  even  after  that  hour,  under  the  light  of  a  full 


THE    PIT-TRAP..  281 

moon  ;  by  which  time  the  diggers  were  buried  to 
their  necks. 

But  they  were  now  fatigued.  They  knew  they 
could  easily  complete  the  pit  next  day  ;  and  so  they 
laid  down  their  implements,  and,  after  performing 
their  ablutions  in  the  crystal  water  of  the  stream, 
retired  to  their  sleeping-quarters  in  the  tree. 

By  early  dawn  they  were  at  it  again,  busy  as 
bees  ;  and  the  pit  progressed  so  rapidly  that  before 
they  stopped  to  take  breakfast  Von  Bloom  could 
scarce  see  out  of  it  standing  on  his  toes,  and  the 
crown  of  Swartboy's  woolly  head  was  nearly  two 
feet  below  the  surface.  A  little  more  digging  would 
do. 

After  breakfast  they  went  to  work  as  briskly  as 
ever,  and  labored  away  until  they  considered-  that 
the  hole  was  sunk  to  a  sufficient  depth.  It  would 
have  taken  a  springbok  to  have  leaped  out  of  it ;  and 
no  quagga  could  possibly  have  cleared  itself  from 
such  a  pit. 

Poles  and  bushes  were  now  cut ;  and  the  pit  was 
neatly  covered  with  these,  and  strewed  over,  as  well 
as  a  large  tract  of  the  adjoining  ground,  with  rushes 
and  grass.  The  most  sagacious  animal  would  have 
been  deceived  by  the  appearance  ;  even  a  fox  could 
not  have  discovered  the  trap  before,  tumbling  into  it. 

They  had  completed  the  work  before  going  to 
dinner, —  which,  consequently,  fell  late  on  that  day, 
—  so  nothing  more  remained  to  be  done  but  to  dine, 
and  await  the  coming  of  the  quaggas. 

At  dinner  they  were  all  very  merry,  notwithstand- 
ing the  immense  fatigue  they  had  gone  through. 


282  THE    PIT-TRAP. 

The  prospect  of  capturing  the  quaggas  was  very 
exciting,  and  kept  the  party  in  high  spirits. 

Each  offered  a  prognostication  as  to  the  result. 
Some  said  they  would  trap  three  quaggas,  at  the 
least ;  while  others  were  more  sanguine,  and  believed 
they  might  take  twice  that  number.  Jan  did  not  see 
why  the  pit  should  not  be  full ;  and  Hendrik  thought 
this  probable  enough,  considering  the  way  they  in- 
tended to  drive  the  quaggas  into  it. 

It  certainly  seemed  so.  The  pit  had  been  made 
of  sufficient  width  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  the 
animals  leaping  over  it,  while  it  was  dug  lengthwise 
across  the  path,  so  that  they  could  not  miss  it.  The 
lay  of  the  ground  would  guide  them  directly  into  it. 

It  is  true  that,  were  they  to  be  left  to  themselves, 
and  permitted  to  follow  their  usual  method  of  march- 
ing,—  that  is,  in  single  file, —  only  one,  the  leader, 
might  be  caught.  The  rest,  seeing  him  fall  in,  would 
be  sure  to  wheel  round,  and  gallop  off  in  a  different 
direction. 

But  it  was  not  the  intention  of  the  hunters  to  leave 
things  thus.  They  had  planned  a  way  by  which  the 
quaggas,  at  a  certain  moment,  would  be  thrown  into 
a  complete  panic,  and  thus  forced  pell-mell  upon  the 
pit.  In  this  lay  their  hopes  of  securing  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  animals. 

Four  was  as  many  as  were  wanted.  One  for  each 
of  the  hunters.  Four  would  do  ;  but  of  course  it 
mattered  not  how  many  more  got  into  the  pit.  The 
more  the  better,  as  a  large  number  would  give  them 
the  advantage  of  "pick  and  choose.77 

Dinner  over,  the  hunters  set  about  preparing  for 


THE    PIT-TRAP..  283 

the  reception  of  their  expected  visitors.  As  already 
stated,  the  dinner  had  been  later  than  usual ;  and  it 
was  now  near  the  hour  when  the  quaggas  might  be 
looked  for. 

In  order  to  be  in  time,  each  took  his  station. 
Hans,  Hendrik,  and  Swartboy,  placed  themselves 
in  ambush  around  the  lake  —  at  intervals  from  one 
another ;  but  the  lower  end,  where  the  animals 
usually  approached  and  went  out,  was  left  quite 
open.  Yon  Bloom  remained  on  the  platform  in  the 
tree,  so  as  to  mark  the  approach  of  the  quaggas,  and 
give  warning  by  a  signal  to  the  other  three.  The 
positions  taken  by  these  were  such  that  they  could 
guide  the  herd  in  the  direction  of  the  pit,  by  merely 
coming  out  of  the  bushes  where  they  lay  concealed. 
In  order  that  they  should  show  themselves  simulta- 
neously, and  at  the  proper  moment,  they  were  to 
wait  for  a  signal  from  the  tree.  This  Was  to  be  the 
firing  of  the  great  "  roer,"  loaded  blank.  Hans  and 
Hendrik  were  also  to  fire  blank  shots  on  discovering 
themselves,  and  by  this  means  the  desired  panic 
would  be  produced. 

The  whole  scheme  was  well  contrived,  and  suc- 
ceeded admirably.  The  herd  appeared  filing  over 
the  plain,  just  as  on  the  preceding  days.  Von  Bloom 
announced  their  approach  to  the  three  in  ambush,  by 
repeating,  in  a  subdued  tone,  the  words, 

"  Quaggas  are  coming  !  " 

The  unsuspecting  animals  filed  through  the  gorge, 
scattered  about  in  the  water,  drank  their  fill,  and 
then  commenced  retiring  by  the  path  on  which  lay 
the  trap. 


284  THE    PIT-TRAP. 

The  leader,  having  climbed  the  bank,  and  seeing 
the  fresh  grass  and  rushes  strewed  upon  the  path, 
uttered  a  snorting  bark,  and  seemed  half  inclined  to 
wheel  round.  But  just  at  that  moment  boomed  the 
loud  detonation  of  the  roer  ;  and  then,  like  lesser 
echoes,  the  reports  of  the  smaller  guns  on  the  right 
and  left,  while  Swartboy  shouted,  at  the  top  pitch  of 
his  voice,  from  another  quarter. 

A  look  back  showed  the  quaggas  that  they  were 
well-nigh  surrounded  by  strange  enemies.  But  one 
course  appeared  open  to  them  —  the  way  they  were 
wont  to  go  ;  and,  barking  with  affright,  the  whole 
drove  dashed  up  the  bank,  and  crowded  on  towards 
the  pit. 

Then  was  heard  a  confused  noise  —  the  cracking 
of  the  poles  —  the  trampling  of  many  hoofs  —  the 
dull  sounds  of  heavy  bodies  falling  together,  and 
mingling  in  %  continuous  struggle  —  and  the  wild 
snorting,  as  the  creatures  hurried  forward  in  affright. 
Some  were  seen  springing  high  in  the  air,  as  if  to 
overleap  the  pit.  Others  poised  themselves  on  their 
hind  hoofs,  and,  wheeling  round,  ran  back  into  the 
lake.  Some  dashed  off  through  the  bushes,  and 
escaped  in  that  way ;  but  the  great  body  of  the 
drove  came  running  back,  and,  plunging  through  the 
water,  made  off  by  the  gorge  through  which  they 
had  come.  In  a  few  minutes  not  one  was  in  sight. 

The  boys  thought  they  had  all  escaped  ;  but  Von 
Bloom,  from  his  more  elevated  position  in  the  tree, 
could  perceive  the  snouts  of  several  protruding 
above  the  edge  of  the  pit. 

On  arriving  at  the  spot,  to  their  great  satisfaction 


THE    PIT-TRAP.  285 

the  hunters  discovered  no  less  than  eight  full-grown 
quaggas  in  the  trap  — just  twice  the  number  required 
to  mount  the  party. 

****** 

In  less  than  two  weeks  from  that  time  four  of  the 
quaggas  were  broken  to  the  saddle,  and  perfectly 
obedient  to  the  bit.  Of  course  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  kicking,  and  plunging,  and  flinging,  and  many  hard 
gallops,  and  some  ugly  falls,  before  it  came  to  this  ; 
but  both  the  Bushman  Swartboy  and  the  Bush-boy 
Hendrik  were  expert  in  the  manege  of  horses,  and 
soon  tamed  the  quaggas  to  a  proper  degree  of 
docility. 

Upon  the  very  first  occasion  when  these  animals 
were  used  in  the  hunt  of  the  elephant,  they  rendered 
the  very  service  expected  of  them.  The  elephant,  as 
usual,  bolted  after  receiving  the  first  shot ;  but  the 
hunters  on  ' '  quagga-back ;;  were  enabledto  keep  him 
in  sight,  arid  follow  rapidly  upon  his  heels.  As  soon 
as  the  elephant  discovered  that,  run  as  he  would,  his 
pursuers  had  the  power  of  overtaking  him,  he  dis- 
dained to  fly  further,  and  stood  to  bay  ;  thus  giving 
them  the  opportunity  of  delivering  shot  after  shot, 
until  a  mortal  wound  brought  his  huge  body  to  the 
earth. 

Von  Bloom  was  delighted.  His  hopes  were  high  ; 
his  benignant  star  was  once  more  in  the  ascendant. 

He  would  yet  accomplish  his  design.  He  would 
yet  be  rich.  A  few  years  would  enable  him  to  build 
up  his  fortune  —  to  construct  a  pyramid  of  ivory. 


286  DRIVING   IN   THE    ELAND. 


CHAPTER    XL. 

DRIVING   IN   THE   ELAND. 

OP  all  the  family  Hendrik  was  the  hunter  par 
excellence.  It  was  he  who  habitually  stored  the 
larder  ;  and  upon  days  when  they  were  not  engaged 
in  the  chase  of  the  elephant,  Hendrik  would  be 
abroad  alone  in  pursuit  of  antelopes,  and  other 
creatures,  that  furnished  their  usual  subsistence. 
Hendrik  kept  the  table  well  supplied. 

Antelopes  are  the  principal  game  of  South  Africa 
—  for  Africa  is  the  country  of  the  antelope  above  all 
others.  You  may  be  surprised  to  hear  that  there  are 
seventy  different  species  of  antelopes  over  all  the  earth ; 
that  more  than  fifty  of  these  are  African,  and  that 
thirty,  at  least,  belong  to  South  Africa  —  tnat  is,  the 
portion  of  the  continent  lying  between  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  and  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn. 

It  would  require  the  space  of  a  whole  book,  there- 
fore, to  give  a  fair  account — a  monograph  —  of  the 
antelopes  alone  ;  and  I  cannot  afford  that  space  here. 
At  present  I  can  only  say  that  Africa  is  the  great 
antelope  country,  although  many  fine  species  exist 
also  in  Asia  ;  that  in  America  there  is  but  one  kind, 
the  prong-horn,  with  which  you  are  already  well 
acquainted ;  and  that  in  Europe  there  are  two, 


DRIVING   IN   THE    ELAND.  287 

though  one  of  these,  the  well-known  "  chamois,"  is 
as  much  goat  as  antelope. 

I  shall  further  remark  that  the  seventy  species  of 
animals  by  naturalists  classed  as  antelopes  differ 
widely  from  one  another  in  form,  size,  color,  pelage, 
habits  ;  in  short,  in  so  many  respects,  that  their 
classification  under  the  name  of  Antelope  is  very 
arbitrary  indeed.  Some  approximate  closely  to  the 
goat  tribe  ,•  others  are  more  like  deer  ;  some  resemble 
oxen  ;  others  are  closely  allied  to  the  buffalo  ;  while 
a  few  species  possess  many  of  the  characteristics  of 
wild  sheep. 

As  a  general  thing,  however,  they  are  more  like 
to  deer  than  any  other  animals  ;  and  many  species 
of  them  are,  in  common  parlance,  called  deer. 
Indeed,  many  antelopes  are  more  like  to  certain 
species  of  deer  than  to  others  of  their  own  kind. 
The  chief  distinction  noted  between  them  and  the 
deer  is,  that  the  antelopes  have  horny  horns,  that 
are  persistent  or  permanent,  while  those  of  the  deer 
are  osseous  or  bony,  and  are  annually  cast. 

Like  the  deer,  the  different  species  of  antelope 
possess  very  different  habits.  Some  frequent  the 
wide  open  plains  ;  some  the  deep  forest ;  some  wan- 
der by  the  shady  banks  of  streams  ;  while  others 
love  to  dwell  upon  the  rocky  steep,  or  the  dry 
ravines  of  the  mountains.  Some  browse  upon  the 
grass ;  while  others,  goat-like,  prefer  the  leaves  and 
tender  twigs  of  trees.  In  fact,  so  different  are  these 
creatures  in  habits,  that  whatever  be  the  natural 
character  of  a  district  of  country,  it  will  be  found  the 
favorite  home  of  one  or  more  species.  Even  the  very 


288  DRIVING   IN   THE    ELAND. 

desert  has  its  antelopes,  that  prefer  the  parched 
and  waterless  plain  to  the  most  fertile  and  verdant 
valley. 

Of  all  antelopes  the  "eland,"  or  "caana"  (A. 
oreas),  is  the  largest.  It  measures  full  seventeen 
hands  at  the  shoulder,  being  thus  equal  in  height 
to  a  very  large  horse.  A  large  eland  weighs  one 
thousand  pounds.  It  is  a  heavily-formed  animal,  and 
an  indifferent  runner,  as  a  mounted  hunter  can  gallop 
up  to  one  without  effort.  Its  general  proportions  are 
not  unlike  those  of  a  common  ox,  but  its  horns  are 
straight,  and  rise  vertically  from  the  crown,  diverging 
only  slightly  from  one  another.  These  are  two  feet 
in  length,  and  marked  by  a  ridge  that  passes  spirally 
around  them  nearly  to  the  tips.  The  horns  of  the 
female  are  longer  than  those  of  the  male. 

The  eyes  of  the  eland,  like  those  of  most  antelopes, 
are  large,  bright,  and  melting,  without  any  expres- 
sion of  fierceness  ;  and  the  animal,  though  so  very 
large  and  strong,  is  of  the  most  innocuous  dis- 
position, showing  fight  only  when  driven  to  despe- 
ration. 

The  general  color  of  this  antelope  is  dun,  with 
a  rufous  tinge.  Sometimes  ashy  gray  touched  with 
ochre  is  the  prevailing  hue. 

The  eland  is  one  of  those  antelopes  that  appear  to 
be  independent  of  water.  It  is  met  with  upon  the 
desert  plains,  far  from  either  spring  or  stream ;  and 
it  even  seems  to  prefer  such  situations, —  perhaps 
from  the  greater  security  it  finds  there, —  though  it 
is  also  a  denizen  of  the  fertile  and  wooded  districts. 


DRIVING   IN    THE    ELAND.  289 

It  is  gregarioug,  the  sexes  herding  separately,  and 
in  groups  of  from  ten  to  a  hundred  individuals. 

The  flesh  of  the  eland  is  highly  esteemed,  and  does 
not  yield  in  delicacy  to  that  of  any  of  the  antelope, 
deer,  or  bovine  tribes.  It  has  been  compared  to 
tender  beef  with  a  game  flavor  ;  and  the  muscles  of 
the  thighs  when  cured  and  dried  produce  a  bonne 
bouche,  known  under  the  odd  appellation  of  "thigh- 
tongues."  * 

Of  course  the  eland,  affording  such  excellent  meat, 
and  in  so  large  a  quantity,  is  zealously  hunted  for  his 
spoils.  Being  only  a  poor  runner,  and  always  very 
fat,  the  hunt  is  usually  a  short  one  ;  and  ends  in  the 
eland  being  shot  down,  skinned,  and  cut  up.  There 
is  no  great  excitement  about  this  chase,  except 
that  it  is  not  every  day  an  eland  can  be  started. 
The  ease  with  which  they  can  be  captured,  as  well 
as  the  value  of  their  venison,  has  led  to  the  thinning 
off  of  these  antelopes  ;  and  it  is  only  in  remote  dis- 
tricts where  a  herd  of  them  can  be  found. 

Now,  since  their  arrival,  no  elands  had  been  seen, 
though  now  and  then  their  spoor  was  observed  ;  and 
Hendrik,  for  several  reasons,  was  very  desirous  of 
getting  one.  He  had  never  shot  an  eland  in  his  life 
—  that  was  one  reason ;  and  another  was,  that  he 
wished  to  procure  a  supply  of  the  fine  venison  which 
lies  in  such  quantities  over  the  ribs  of  these  animals. 

It  was,  therefore,  with  great  delight  that  Hendrik 
one  morning  received  the  report  that  a  herd  of  elands 
had  been  seen  upon  the  upper  plain,  and  not  far  off. 
Swartboy,  who  had  been  upon  the  cliffs,  brought  this 
report  to  camp. 

19 


290  DRIVING    IN   THE    ELAND. 

Without  losing  any  more  time  than  sufficed  to  get 
the  direction  from  Swartboy,  Hendrik  mounted  his 
quagga,  shouldered  his  rifle,  and  rode  off  in  search 
of  the  herd. 

Not  far  from  the  camp  there  was  an  easy  pass, 
leading  up  the  cliff  to  the  plain  above.  It  was  a 
sort  of  gorge,  or  ravine  ;  and  from  the  numerous 
tracks  of  animals  in  its  bottom,  it  was  evidently 
much  used  as  a  road  from  the  upper  plain  to  that  in 
which  were  the  spring  and  stream.  Certain  animals, 
such  as  the  zebras  and  quaggas,  and  others  that  fre- 
quent the  dry  desert  plains  from  preference,  were  in 
the  habit  of  coming  by  this  path  when  they  required 
water. 

Up  the  gorge  rode  Hendrik  ;  and  no  sooner  had  he 
arrived  at  its  top,  than  he  discovered  the  herd  of 
elands  —  seven  old  bulls  —  about  a  mile  off  upon  the 
upper  plain. 

There  was  not  cover  enough  to  have  sheltered  a 
fox.  The  only  growth  near  the  spot  where  the 
elands  were  consisted  of  straggling  aloe-plants, 
euphorbias,  with  some  stunted  bushes,  and  tufts  of 
dry  grass,  characteristic  of  the  desert.  There  was 
no  clump  large  enough  to  have  sheltered  a  hunter 
from  the  eye  of  his  game  ;  and  Hendrik  at  once  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  elands  could  not  be 
"  stalked  ;;  in  the  situation  they  then  occupied. 

Now,  though  Hendrik  had  never  hunted  this  ante- 
lope, he  was  well  acquainted  with  its  habits,  and 
knew  how  it  ought  to  be  chased.  He  knew  that  it 
was  a  bad  runner  ;  that  any  old  horse  could  bring 


DRIVING    IN    THE    ELAND.  291 

up  with  it ;  and  that  his  quagga  —  the  fastest  of  the 
four  that  had  been  tamed  —  could  do  the  same. 

It  was  only  a  question  of  "  start, "  therefore. 
Could  he  get  near  enough  the  bulls  to  have  a  fair 
start,  he  would  run  one  of  them  down,  to  a  certainty. 
The  result  might  be  different  should  the  elands  take 
the  alarm  at  a  long  distance  off,  and  scour  away  over 
the  plain. 

To  get  within  fair  starting  distance,  that  was  the 
point  to  be  attempted. 

But  Hendrik  was  a  wary  hunter,  and  soon  accom- 
plished this.  Instead  of  riding  direct  for  the  elands, 
he  made  a  grand  circuit,  until  he  had  got  the  herd 
between  him  and  the  cliff,  and  then,  heading  his 
quagga  for  them,  he  rode  quietly  forward. 

He  did  not  sit  erect  in  the  saddle,  but  held  him- 
self bent  down,  until  his  breast  almost  touched  the 
withers  of  the  quagga.  This  he  did  to  deceive  the 
elands,  who  would  otherwise  have  recognized  him 
as  an  enemy.  In  such  a  fashion  they  could  not 
make  out  what  kind  of  creature  was  coming  tow- 
ards them  ;  but  stood  for  a  long  while  gazing  at 
Hendrik  and  his  quagga  with  feelings  of  curiosity, 
and  of  course  some  little  alarm. 

They,  however,  permitted  the  hunter  to  get  within 
five  hundred  yards'  distance — near  enough  for  him 
—  before  they  broke  off  in  their  heavy,  lumbering 
gallop. 

Hendrik  now  rose  in  his  saddle,  put  spurs  to  his 
quagga,  and  followed  the  herd  at  full  speed. 

As  he  had  designed,  so  it  came  to  pass.  The 
elands  ran  straight  in  the  direction  of  the  cliff,  —  not 


292  DRIVING    IN    THE    ELAND. 

where  the  pass  was,  but  where  there  was  none, — 
and,  on  reaching  the  precipice,  were  of  course  forced 
to  turn  into  a  new  direction,  transverse  to  their 
former  one.  This  gave  Hendrik  the  advantage,  who, 
heading  his  quagga  diagonally,  was  soon  upon  the 
heels  of  the  herd. 

It  was  Hendrik's  intention  to  single  out  one  of  the 
bulls,  and  run  him  down,  leaving  the  others  to  gal- 
lop off  wherever  they  wished. 

^His  intention  was  carried  out ;  for,  shortly  after, 
the  fattest  of  the  bulls  shot  to  one  side,  as  if  to 
escape  in  that  way,  while  the  rest  ran  on. 

The  bull  was  not  so  cunning  as  he  thought  him- 
self. Hendrik' s  eye  was  upon  him,  and  in  a  moment 
the  quagga  was  turned  upon  his  track. 

Another  burst  carried  both  game  and  pursuer 
nearly  a  mile  across  the  plain.  The  eland  had  turned 
from  a  rufous  dun  color  to  that  of  a  leaden  blue, 
the  saliva  fell  from  his  lips  in  long  streamers,  foam 
dappled  his  broad  chest,  the  tears  rolled  out  of  his 
big  eyes,  and  his  gallop  became  changed  to  a  weary 
trot.  He  was  evidently  "  blown. " 

In  a  few  minutes  more  the  quagga  was  close  upon 
his  heels  ;  and  then  the  huge  antelope,  seeing  that 
further  running  could  not  serve  him,  halted  in  des- 
pair, and  faced  round  towards  his  pursuer. 

Now,  Hendrik  had  his  loaded  rifle  in  his  hand,  and 
you  expect  to  hear  that  he  instantly  raised  it  to  his 
shoulder,  took  aim,  fired,  and  brought  down  the 
eland. 

I  must  disappoint  you,  then,  by  telling  you  that  he 
did  no  such  thing. 


DRIVING    IN    THE    ELAND.  293 

Hendrik  was  a  real  hunter  —  neither  rash  nor 
wasteful  of  his  resources.  He  knew  a  better  plan 
than  to  kill  the  eland  upon  the  spot.  He  knew  that 
the  animal  was  now  quite  in  his  power ;  and  that  he 
could  drive  him  wherever  he  pleased,  just  like  a 
tame  ox.  To  have  killed  the  creature  on  the  spot 
would  have  been  a  waste  of  powder  and  shot.  More 
than  that,  it  would  have  rendered  necessary  all  the 
trouble  of  transporting  its  flesh  to  camp  —  a  double 
journey,  at  least,  and  with  the  risk  of  the  hyenas 
eating  up  most  of  it  in  his  absence.  Whereas  he 
could  save  all  this  trouble  by  driving  the  eland  to 
camp  ;  and  this  was  his  design. 

Without  firing  a  shot,  therefore,  he  galloped  on 
past  the  blown  bull,  headed  him,  turned  him  round, 
and  then  drove  him  before  him  in  the  direction  of 
the  cliff. 

The  bull  could  make  neither  resistance  nor  oppo- 
sition. Now  and  again  he  would  turn  and  trot  off 
in  a  contrary  direction ;  but  he  was  easily  headed 
again,  and  at  length  forced  forward  to  the  top  of  the 
pass. 


294  A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

A    WILD    RIDE   ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 

HENDRIK  was  congratulating  himself  on  his  suc- 
cess. He  anticipated  some  pleasure  in  the  surprise 
he  was  about  to  create  at  camp  when  he  should 
march  in  with  the  eland  —  for  he  had  no  doubt  that 
he  would  succeed  in  doing  so. 

Indeed,  there  appeared  no  reason  to  doubt  it.  The 
bull  had  already  entered  the  gorge,  and  was  moving 
down  it,  while  Hendrik  and  his  quagga  were  hurry- 
ing forward  to  follow. 

The  hunter  had  arrived  within  a  few  yards  of  the 
top,  when  a  loud  trampling  noise  sounded  in  his 
ears,  as  if  a  band  of  heavy-footed  animals  were 
coming  up  the  gorge. 

He  spurred  his  quagga  forward,  in  order  to  reach 
the  edge,  and  get  a  view  down  the  ravine.  Before 
he  was  able  to  do  so,  he  was  surprised  to  see  the 
eland  gallop  up  again,  and  try  to  pass  him  upon  the 
plain.  It  had  evidently  received  fresh  alarm*  from 
something  in  the  gorge,  and  preferred  facing  its 
old  enemy  to  encountering  the  new. 

Hendrik  did  not  give  his  attention  to  the  eland. 
He  could  ride  it  down  at  any  time.  He  was  more 
anxious  first  to  know  what  had  given  it  the  start 


A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK.  295 

backward ;  so  he  continued  to  press  forward  to  the 
head  of  the  ravine. 

He  might  have  thought  of  lions,  and  acted  with 
greater  prudence  ;  but  the  trampling  of  hoofs,  which 
still  echoed  up  the  pass,  told  him  that  lions  were  not 
the  cause  of  the  eland's  alarm. 

He  at  length  reached  a  point  where  he  could  see 
down  the  declivity.  He  had  not  far  to  look,  for 
already  the  animals  that  were  making  the  noise  were 
close  up  to  him  ;  and  he  perceived  they  were  nothing 
more  than  a  troop  of  quaggas. 

He  was  not  over-pleased  at  this  interruption  to 
his  drive ;  and  the  less  did  he  like  it,  that  the  intruders 
were  quaggas — ill-conditioned  brutes  that  they  were ! 
Had  they  been  game  animals,  he  would  have  shot 
one ;  but  the  only  motive  that  would  have  induced 
him  to  shoot  one  of  the  quaggas  would  have  been  a 
feeling  of  anger — for,  at  that  moment,  he  was  really 
angry  at  them. 

Without  knowing  it,  poor  brutes  I  they  had  likely 
given  him  cause  for  a  good  deal  of  trouble ;  for  it 
would  cost  him  a  .good  deal  before  he  could  head 
the  eland  again,  and  get  it  back  into  the  pass.  No 
wonder,  then,  he  was  vexed  a  little. 

But  his  vexation  was  not  so  grievous  as  to  cause 
him  to  fire  upon  the  approaching  herd  ;  and,  turning 
aside,  he  rode  after  the  eland. 

He  had  hardly  left  the  spot,  when  the  quaggas 
came  out  of  the  pass,  following  each  other  to  the 
number  of  forty  or  fifty.  Each,  as  he  saw  the  mounted 
hunter,  started  with  affright,  and  bolted  off,  until  the 
whole  drove  stretched  out  in  a  long  line  over  the 


296  A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 

plain,  snorting  and  uttering  their  loud  "  coua-a-g  " 
as  they  ran. 

Hendrik  would  hardly  have  regarded  this  move- 
ment, under  ordinary  circumstances.  He  had  often 
seen  herds  of  quaggas,  and  was  in  no  way  curious 
about  them.  But  his  attention  was  drawn  to  this 
herd,  from  his  noticing,  as  they  passed  him,  that 
four  of  them  had  their  tails  docked  short ;  and  from 
this  circumstance  he  recognized  them  as  the  four 
that  had  been  caught  in  the  pit-trap  and  afterwards 
set  free.  Swartboy,  for  some  purpose  of  his  own, 
had  cut  off  the  hair  before  letting  them  go. 

Hendrik  had  no  doubt  it  was  they,  and  that  the 
herd  was  the  same  that  used  to  frequent  the  vley, 
but  that,  on  account  of  the  ill-treatment  they  had 
met  with,  had  never  since  shown  themselves  in  the 
neighborhood. 

Now,  these  circumstances,  coming  into  Hendrik's 
mind  at  the  moment,  led  him  to  regard  the  quaggas 
with  a  certain  feeling  of  curiosity.  The  sudden 
fright  which  the  animals  took  on  seeing  him,  and  the 
comic  appearance  of  the  four  with  the  stumpqd  tails, 
rather  inclined  Hendrik  towards  merriment,  and  he 
laughed  as  he  galloped  along. 

As  the  quaggas  went  off  in  the  same  direction 
which  the  eland  had  taken,  of  course  Hendrik's  road 
and  theirs  lay  ^o  far  together  ;  and  on  galloped  he 
at  their  heels.  He  was  curious  to  try  the  point  — 
much  disputed  in  regard  to  horses  —  how  far  a 
mounted  quagga  would  be  able  to  cope  with  an  un- 
mounted, one.  He  was  curious,  moreover,  to  find 
out  whether  his  own  quagga  was  quite  equal  to  any 


A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK.  291 

of  its  old  companions.  So  on  swept  the  chase  —  the 
eland  leading-,  the  quaggas  after,  and  Hendrik  bring- 
ing up  the  rear. 

Hendrik  had  no  need  to  ply  the  spur.  His  gallant 
steed  flew  like  the  wind.  He  seemed  to  feel  that  his 
character  was  staked  upon  the  race.  He  gained 
upon  the  drove  at  every  spring. 

The  heavy-going  eland  was  soon  overtaken,  and 
as  it  trotted  to  one  side,  was  passed.  It  halted,  but 
the  quaggas  kept  on. 

Not  only  the  drove  kept  on,  but  Hendrik's  quagga 
followed  close  at  their  heels ;  and  in  less  than  five 
minutes  they  had  left  the  eland  a  full  mile  in  their 
rear,  and  were  still  scouring  onward  over  the  wide 
plain. 

What  was  Hendrik  about  ?  Was  he  going  to  for- 
sake the  eland,  and  let  it  escape  ?  Had  he  grown 
so  interested  in  the  race  ?  Was  he  jealous  about 
his  quagga' s  speed,  and  determined  it  should  beat  all 
the  others  ? 

So  it  would  have  appeared  to  any  one  witnessing 
the  race  from  a  distance.  But  one  who  could  have 
had  a  nearer  view  of  it  would  have  given  a  different 
explanation  of  Hendrik's  conduct. 

The  fact  was,  that  as  soon  as  the  eland  halted, 
Hendrik  intended  to  halt  also  ;  and  for  that  purpose 
pulled  strongly  upon  his  bridle.  But,  to  his  aston- 
ishment, he  found  that  his  quagga  did  not  share  his 
intention.  Instead  of  obeying  the  bit,  the  animal 
caught  the  steel  in  his  teeth,  and,  laying  his  ears 
back,  galloped  straight  on ! 

Hendrik  then  endeavored  to  turn  the  quagga  to 


298  A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 

one  side,  and  for  this  purpose  wrenched  his  right 
rein,  but  with  such  fierceness  that  the  old  bit-ring 
gave  way,  the  bit  slipped  through  the  animal's  jaws, 
the  head-stall  came  off  with  the  jerk,  and  the  quagga 
was  completely  unbridled. 

Of  course  the  animal  was  now  free  to  go  just  as 
he  liked,  and  it  was  plain  that  he  liked  to  go  with 
his  old  comrades.  His  old  comrades  he  well  knew 
them  to  be,  as  his  snorting  and  occasional  neigh  of 
recognition  testified. 

At  first  Hendrik  was  disposed  to  look  upon  the 
breaking  of  his  bit  as  only  a  slight  misfortune.  For 
a  boy  he  was  one  of  the  best  riders  in  South  Africa, 
and  needed  no  rein  to  steady  him.  He  could  keep 
his  seat  without  one.  The  quagga  would  soon  stop, 
and  he  could  then  repair  the  bit,  and  readjust  the 
bridle,  which  he  still  held  in  his  hands.  Such  were 
his  reflections  at  first. 

But  their  spirit  began  to  alter  when  he  found  that 
the  quagga,  instead  of  lessening  his  pace,  kept  on  as 
hard  as  ever,  and  the  herd  still  ran  wildly  before  him, 
without  showing  the  slightest  signs  of  coming  to  a 
halt. 

In  fact,  the  quaggas  were  running  through  fear. 
They  saw  the  mounted  hunter  behind  them  in  hot 
pursuit,  and,  although  their  old  comrade  knew  who 
they  were,  how  were  they  to  tell  what  he  was,  with 
such  a  tall  hunch  upon  his  back  ?  No  quagga  he, 
but  some  terrible  monster,  they  imagined,  thirsting 
for  their  lives,  and  eager  to  devour  one  and  all  of 
them  I 

No  wonder  they  showed  their  heels  in  the  best 


A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK.  299 

style  they  knew  how ;  and  BO  well  did  they  show 
them,  that  Hendrik's  quagga —  notwithstanding  his 
keen  desire  to  get  forward  among  them,  and  explain 
away  the  awkward  business  upon  his  back  —  was 
not  able  to  come  an  inch  closer. 

He  did  not  lose  ground,  however.  His  eagerness 
to  regain  his  old  associates,  to  partake  once  more 
of  their  wild  freedom  —  for  he  was  desperately  tired 
of  civilized  society,  and  sick  of  elephant-hunting  — 
all  these  ideas  crowded  into  his  mind  at  the  moment, 
and  nerved  him  to  the  utmost  exertion.  Could  he 
only  get  up  into  the  body  of  the  crowd,  —  for  the 
herd  now  ran  in  a  crowd,  —  a  few  whimpers  would 
suffice  to  explain  ;  they  would  come  to  a  halt  at 
once,  —  they  would  gather  around  him,  and  assist 
both  with  hoofs  and  teeth  to  get  "  shed"  of  the  ugly 
two-legged  thing  that  clung  so  jtightly  to  his  dorsal 
vertebrae. 

It  was  "$LO  go,"  however.  Although  he  was  so 
close  to  their  heels  that  they  flung  dust  in  his  face, 
and  small  pebbles  in  the  face  of  his  rider,  to  the  no 
slight  inconvenience  of  the  latter,  —  although  he 
"  whighered  "  whenever  he  could  spare  breath,  and 
uttered  his  "  couag,  couag  I  "  in  reality,  calling  them 
by  name,  it  was  "no  go,"  "  They  would  not  stay, 
they  would  not  hear." 

And  what  did  Hendrik  during  all  this  time  ? 
Nothing  —  he  could  do  nothing.  He  could  not  stay 
the  impetuous  flight  of  his  steed.  He  dared  not  dis- 
mount. He  would  have  been  hurled  among  sharp 
rocks  had  he  attempted  such  a  thing.  His  neck 


300  A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 

would  have  been  broken.  He  could  do  nothing  — 
nothing  but  keep  his  seat. 

What  thought  he  ?  At  first,  not  much.  At  first 
he  regarded  the  adventure  lightly.  When  he  was 
about  completing  his  third  mile,  he  began  to  deem  it 
more  serious  ;  and  as  he  entered  upon  the  fifth,  he 
became  convinced  that  he  was  neither  more  nor  less 
than  in  a  very  awkward  scrape. 

But  the  fifth  mile  was  left  behind,  and  then  a  sixth, 
and  a  seventh  ;  and  still  the  quaggas  galloped  wildly 
on  —  the  drove  actuated  by  the  fear  of  losing  their 
liberty,  and  their  old  comrade  by  the  desire  of  regain- 
ing his. 

Hendrik  now  felt  real  uneasiness.  Where  were 
they  going  ?  Where  was  the  brute  carrying  him  ? 
Perhaps  off  to  the  desert,  where  he  might  be  lost,  and 
perish  of  hunger  or  thirst  I  Already  he  was  many 
miles  from  the  cliffs,  and  he  could  no  longer  tell  their 
direction.  Even  had  he  halted  then  and  there,  he 
could  not  tell  which  way  to  turn  himself.  He  would 
be  lost ! 

He  grew  more  than  anxious.  He  became  fright- 
ened in  earnest. 

What  was  he  to  do  ?  Leap  down,  and  risk  his 
neck  in  the  fall  ?  He  would  lose  his  quagga  and  his 
saddle  as  well,  —  he  regarded  the  eland  as  already 
lost,  — he  would  have  to  walk  back  to  camp,  and  get 
laughed  at  on  his  return. 

No  matter  for  all  that ;  his  life  was"  in  danger  if  he 
kept  on.  The  quaggas  might  gallop  twenty,  ay, 
fifty  miles,  before  halting.  They  showed  no  symp- 
toms of  being  blown  —  no  signs  of  giving  out.  He 


A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK.  301 


must  fling  himself  to  the  ground,  and  let  quagga  and 
saddle  go. 

He  had  formed  this  resolution,  and  was  actually 
about  to  put  it  in  practice.  He  was  just  considering 
how  he  might  best  escape  an  ugly  fall  —  looking  for 
a  soft  spot  —  when,  all  at  once,  a  grand  idea  rushed 
into  his  mind. 

He  remembered  that  in  taming  this  same  quagga, 
and  breaking  him  to  the  saddle,  he  had  been  vastly 
aided  by  a  very  simple  contrivance  —  that  was  a 
"blind."  The  blind  was  nothing  more  than  a  piece 
of  soft  leather  tied  over  the  animal's  eyes  ;  but  so 
complete  had  been  its  effect,  that  it  had  transformed 
the  quagga  at  once  from  a  kicking,  screaming  creat- 
ure, into  a  docile  animal. 

Hendrik  now  thought  of  the  blind. 

True,  he  had  none.  Was  there  nothing  about  him 
that  would  serve  as  one  ?  His  handkerchief?  •  No, 
it  would  be  too  thin.  Hurra !  His  jacket  would 
do! 

His  rifle  was  in  the  way.  It  must  be  got  rid  of. 
It  must  be  dropped  to  the  ground.  He  could  return 
for  it. 

It  was  let  down  as  gently  as  possible,  and  soon 
left  far  behind. 

In  a  twinkling  Hendrik  stripped  off  his  jacket. 
How  was  it  to  be  arranged  so  as  to  blind  the  quag- 
ga ?  It  would  not  do  to  drop  it. 

A  moment's  consideration  served  the  ready  boy  to 
mature  his  plan.  After  a  moment  he  bent  down, 
passed  a  sleeve  upon  each  side  under  the  quagga' s 
throat,  and  then  knotted  them  together.  The  jacket 


302  A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK. 

thus  rested  over  the  animal's  mane,  with  the  collar 
near  its  withers,  and  the  peak  or  skirt  upon  the  small 
of  its  neck. 

Hendrik  next  leaned  as  far  forward  as  he  could, 
and  with  his  extended  arms  pushed  the  jacket  up  the 
animal's  neck,  until  the  skirt  passed  over  its  ears, 
and  fell  down  in  front  of  its  face. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  the  rider,  bent 
down  as  he  was,  could  retain  his  seat ;  for  as  soon 
as  the  thick  flap  of  cloth  came  down  over  the  eyes 
of  the  quagga,  the  latter  halted  as  if  he  had  been 
shot  dead  in  his  tracks.  He  did  not  fall,  however, 
but  only  stood  still,  quivering  with  terror.  His  gal- 
lop was  at  an  end  ! 

Hendrik  leaped  to  the  ground.  He  was  no  longer 
afraid  that  the  quagga,  blinded  as  he  now  was,  would 
make  any  attempt  to  get  off;  nor  did  he. 

Jn  a  few  minutes  the  broken  bit-ring  was  replaced 
by  a  strong  rheim  of  raw  leather,  the  bit  inserted 
between  the  quagga's  teeth,  the  head-stall  safely 
buckled,  and  Hendrik  once  more  in  the  saddle,  with 
his  jacket  upon  his  back. 

The  quagga  felt  that  he  was  conquered.  His  old 
associates  were  no  longer  in  sight  to  tempt  him  from 
his  allegiance  ;  and  with  these  considerations,  aided 
by  a  slight  dose  of  bit  and  spur,  he  turned  his  head, 
and  moved  sullenly  upon  the  back  track. 

Hendrik  knew  nothing  about  the  route  he  should 
take.  He  followed  back  the  spoor  of  the  quaggas  to 
the  place  where  he  had  dropped  his  gun,  which  after 
riding  a  mile  or  two  he  recovered. 

As  there  was  no  sun  in  the  sky,  nor  other  object 


A    WILD    RIDE    ON    QUAGGA-BACK.  303 

to  guide  him,  he  thought  he  could  not  do  better  than 
trace  back  the  spoor ;  and,  although  it  led  him  by 
many  a  devious  route,  and  he  saw  nothing  more  of 
his  eland,  before  night  he  reached  the  pass  in  the 
cliff,  and  was  soon  after  sitting  under  the  shadow  of 
the  nwana-tree,  regaling  a  most  interested  audience 
with  the  narrative  of  his  day's  adventures. 


304  THE    GUN-TRAP. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE   GUN-TRAP. 

IT  was  about  this  time  that  the  field-cornet  and  his 
people  were  very  much  annoyed  by  beasts  of  prey. 
The  savory  smell  which  their  camp  daily  sent  forth, 
as  well  as  the  remains  of  antelopes,  killed  for  their 
venison,  attracted  these  visitors.  Hyenas  and  jack- 
als were  constantly  skulking  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  at  night  came  around  the  great  nwana-tree  in 
scores,  keeping  up  their  horrid  chorus  for  hours 
together.  It  is  true  that  nobody  feared  these  ani- 
mals, as  the  children  at  night  were  safe  in.  their 
aerial  home,  where  the  hyenas  could  not  get  at  them. 
But,  for  all  that,  the  presence  of  the  brutes  was  very 
offensive,  as  not  a  bit  of  meat  —  not  a  hide,  nor 
rheim,  nor  any  article  of  leather  —  could  be  left  be- 
low without  their  getting  their  teeth  upon  it,  and 
chewing  it  up.  Quarters  of  venison  they  had  fre- 
quently stolen,  and  they  had  eaten  up  the  leathern 
part  of  Swartboy's  saddle,  and  rendered  it  quite  use- 
less for  a  while.  In  short,  so  great  a  pest  had  the 
hyenas  grown  to  be,  that  it  became  necessary  to  adopt 
some  mode  of  destroying  them. 

It  was  not  easy  to  get  a  shot  at  them.  During  the 
day  they  were  wary,  and  either  hid  themselves  in 
caves  of  the  cliff  or  in  the  burrows  of  the  ant-eater. 


THE    GUN-TRAP.  305 

At  night  they  were  bold  enough,  and  came  into  the 
very  camp ;  but  then  the  darkness  hindered  a  good 
aim,  and  the  hunters  knew  too  well  the  value  of  pow- 
der and  lead  to  waste  it  on  a  chance  shot,  —  though 
now  and  then,  when  provoked  by  the  brutes,  they 
ventured  one. 

But  some  way  must  be  thought  of  to  thin  the  num- 
bers of  these  animals,  or  get  rid  of  them  altogether. 
This  was  the  opinion  of  everybody. 

Two  or  three  kinds  of  traps  were  tried,  but  with- 
out much  success.  A  pit  they  could  leap  out  of,  and 
from  a  noose  they  could  free  themselves  by  cutting- 
the  rope  with  their  sharp  teeth. 

At  length  the  field-cornet  resorted  to  a  plan  much 
practised  by  the  boors  of  Southern  Africa  for  ridding 
their  farms  of  these  and  similar  "vermin/'  It  was 
the  "gun-trap." 

Now,  there  are  several  ways  of  constructing  a  gun- 
trap.  Of  course,  a  gun  is  the  principal  part  of  the 
mechanism,  and  the  trigger  pulled  by  a  string  is  the 
main  point  of  the  contrivance.  In  some  countries 
the  bait  is  tied  to  the  string,  and  the  animal  on  seiz- 
ing the  bait  tightens  the  string,  draws  the  trigger, 
and  shoots  itself.  In  this  way,  however,  there  is 
always  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  result.  The  ani- 
mal may  not  place  its  body  in  the  proper  position 
with  regard  to  the  muzzle,  and  may  either  escape  the 
shot  altogether,  or  may  be  only  "  creased, "  and  of 
course  get  off. 

The  mode  of  setting  the    "  gun-trap  "  in   South 
Africa  is  a  superior  plan  ;  and  the  creature  that  is  so 
unfortunate  as  to'  draw  the  trigger  rarely  escapes, 
20 


306  THE    GUN-TRAP. 

but  is  either  killed    upon   the   spot,    or   so  badly 
wounded  as  to  prevent  its  getting  away. 

Von  Bloom  constructed  his  trap  after  the  approved 
fashion,  as  follows  :  Near  the  camp  he  selected  a  spot 
where  three  saplings,  or  young  trees,  grew,  stand- 
ing in  a  line,  and  about  a  yard  between  each  two  of 
them.  Had  he  not  found  three  trees  so  disposed, 
stakes  firmly  driven  into  the  ground  would  have 
answered  his  purpose  equally  well. 

Thorn-bushes  were  now  cut,  and  a  kraal  built  in 
the  usual  manner  —  that  is,  with  the  tops  of  the 
bushes  turned  outwards.  The  size  of  the  kraal  was 
a  matter  of  no  consequence,  and,  of  course,  to  save 
labor,  a  small  one  was  constructed. 

One  point,  however,  was  observed  in  making  the 
kraal.  Its  door  or  opening  was  placed  so  that  two  of 
the  three  saplings  stood  like  posts,  one  on  each  side 
of  it,  and  an  animal  going  into  the  enclosure  must 
needs  pass  between  these  two  trees. 
Now  for  the  part  the  gun  had  to  play. 
The  weapon  was  placed  in  a  horizontal  position 
against  two  of  the  saplings,  —  that  is,  the  stock 
against  the  one  outside  the  kraal,  and  the  barrel 
against  one  of  the  door-posts,  and  there  firmly  lashed. 
In  this  position  the  muzzle  was  close  to  the  edge  of 
the  entrance,  and  pointing  directly  to  the  sapling  on 
the  opposite  side.  It  was  at  such  a  height  as  to  have 
ranged  with  the  heart  of  a  hyena  standing  in  the 
opening. 

The  next  move  was  to  adjust  the  string.  Already 
a  piece  of  stick,  several  inches  in  length,  had  been 
fixed  to  the  small  of  the  stock,  and,  of  course,  be- 


THE    GUN-TRAP.  30t 

hind  the  trigger.  This  was  fastened  transversely,  but 
not  so  as  to  preclude  all  motion.  A  certain  loose- 
ness in  its  adjustment  gave  it  the  freedom  required 
to  be  worked  as  a  lever  —  for  that  was  its  design. 

To  each  end  of  this  little  stick  was  fastened  a 
string.  One  of  these  strings  was  attached  to  the 
trigger ;  the  other,  after  being  carried  through  the 
thimbles  of  the  ramrod,  traversed  across  the  entrance 
of  the  kraal,  and  was  knotted  upon  the  opposite  side 
to  the  sapling  that  stood  there.  This  string  followed 
the  horizontal  direction  of  the  barrel,  and  was  just 
"taut,"  so  that  any  further  strain  upon  it  would  act 
upon  the  little  lever,  and  by  that  means  pull  the  trig- 
ger, and  then  of  course  "bang"  would  go  the  roer. 

When  this  string  was  adjusted,  and  the  gun  loaded 
and  cocked,  the  trap  was  set. 

Nothing  remained  to  be  done  but  bait  it.  This 
was  not  a  difficult  task.  It  consisted  simply  in  plac- 
ing a  piece  of  meat  or  carcass  within  the  enclosure, 
and  there  leaving  it  to  attract  the  prowling  beasts  to 
the  spot. 

When  the  gun  had  been  set,  Swartboy  carried  up 
the  bait,  — the  offal  of  an  antelope  killed  that  day,  — 
and  flung  it  into  the  kraal ;  and  then  the  party  went 
quietly  to  their  beds,  without  thinking  more  of  the 
matter. 

They  had  not  slept  a  wink,  Jiowever,  before  they 
were  startled  by  the  loud  "  crack  "  of  the  roer,  fol- 
lowed by  a  short  stifled  cry,  that  told  them  the  gun- 
trap  had  done  its  work. 

A  torch  was  procured,  and  the  four  hunters  pro- 
ceeded to  the  spot.  There  they  found  the  dead  body 


308  THE    GUN-TRAP. 

of  a  huge  "tiger-wolf  lying  doubled  up  in  the  en- 
trance, and  right  under  the  muzzle  of  the  gun.  He 
had  not  gone  a  step  after  receiving  the  shot,  —  in 
fact,  had  hardly  kicked  before  dying,  —  as  the  bullet, 
wad,  and  all,  had  gone  quite  through  his  ribs  and 
entered  his  heart,  after  making  a  large  ugly  hole  in 
his  side.  Of  course  he  must  have  been  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  muzzle,  when  his  breast,  pressing 
against  the  string,  caused  the  gun  to  go  off. 

Having  again  loaded  the  roer,  the  hunters  returned 
to  their  beds.  One  might  suppose  they  would  have 
dragged  the  suicidal  hyena  away  from  the  spot, 
lest  his  carcass  should  serve  as  a  warning  to  his  com- 
rades, and  keep  them  away  from  the  trap.  But 
Swartboy  knew  better  than  that.  Instead  of  being 
scared  by  the  dead  body  of  one  of  their  kind,  the 
hyenas  only  regard  it  as  proper  prey,  and  will  devour 
it  as  they  would  the  remains  of  a  tender  antelope  ! 

Knowing  this,  Swartboy  did  not  take  the  dead 
hyena  away,  but  only  drew  it  within  the  kraal,  to 
serve  as  a  further  inducement  for  the  others  to 
attempt  an  entrance  there. 

Before  morning  they  were  once  more  awakened  by 
the  "bang"  of  the  great  gun.  This  time  they  lay 
still ;  but  when  day  broke  they  visited  their  trap,  and 
found  that  a  second  hyena  had  too  rashly  pressed 
his  bosom  against  the  fatal  string. 

Night  after  night  they  continued  their  warfare 
against  the  hyenas,  changing  the  trap-kraal  to  dif- 
ferent localities  in  the  surrounding  neighborhood. 

At  length  these  creatures  were  nearly  extermi- 
nated, or,  at  all  events,  became  so  rare  and  shy  that 


THE    GUN-TRAP.  309 

their  presence  in  the  camp  was  no  longer  an  annoy- 
ance one  way  or  the  other. 

About  this  time,  however,  there  appeared  another 
set  of  visitors,  whose  presence  was  far  more  to  be 
dreaded,  and  whose  destruction  the  hunters  were 
more  anxious  to  accomplish.  That  was  a  family  of 
lions. 

The  spoor  of  these  had  been  often  seen  in  the 
neighborhood,  but  it  was  some  time  before  they  began 
to  frequent  the  camp.  However,  about  the  time  the 
hyenas  had  been  fairly  got  rid  of,  the  lions  took  their 
place,  and  came  every  night,  roaring  about  the  camp 
in  a  most  terrific  manner. 

Dreadful  as  these  sounds  were,  the  people  were  not 
so  much  afraid  of  them  as  one  might  imagine.  They 
well  knew  that  the  lions  could  not  get  at  them  in  the 
tree.  Had  it  been  leopards  they  might  have  felt 
less  secure,  as  the  latter  are  true  tree-climbers ;  but 
they  had  seen  no  leopards  in  that  country,  and  did 
not  think  of  them. 

They  were  not  altogether  without  fear  of  the  lions, 
however.  They  were  annoyed,  moreover,  that  they 
could  not  with  safety  descend  from  the  tree  after 
nightfall,  but  were  every  night  besieged  from  sunset 
till  morning.  Besides,  although  the  cow  and  the  quag- 
gas  were  shut  in  strong  kraals,  they  dreaded  each 
night  that  the  lions  would  make  a  seizure  of  one  or 
other  of  these  animals  ;  and  the  loss  of  any  one  of 
them,  but  especially  their  valuable  friend  "Old  Graaf," 
would  have  been  a  very  serious  misfortune. 

It  was  resolved,  therefore,  to  try  the  gun-trap  upon 
the  lions,  as  it  had  succeeded  so  well  with  the  hyenas. 


310  THE    GUN-TRAP. 

There  was  no  difference  in  the  construction  or  con- 
trivance of  the  trap.  The  gun  only  had  to  be  placed 
upon  a  higher  level,  so  that  its  muzzle  might  be  op- 
posite the  lion's  heart,  and  the  proper  range  was 
easily  obtained.  The  bait,  however,  was  not  carcass, 
but  an  animal  freshly  killed  ;  and  for  this  purpose  an 
antelope  was  procured. 

The  result  was  as  desired.  On  the  first  night  tho 
old  male  lion  "  breasted  "  the  fatal  string,  and  bit  the 
dust.  Next  night  the  lioness  was  destroyed  in  a  sim- 
ilar way,  and  shortly  after  a  full-grown  young  male. 

The  trap  then  lay  idle  for  a  while ;  but  about  a 
week  after  a  half-grown  "  cub  "  was  shot  near  the 
camp  by  Hendrik,  — no  doubt  the  last  of  that  family, 
as  no  lions  were  seen  for  a  long  time  after. 

A  great  enemy  to  night-plunderers  was  that  same 
gun-trap. 


THE    WEAVER-BIRDS.  311 


CHAPTER   XLIII. 

THE    WEAVER-BIRDS. 

Now  that  the  beasts  of  prey  had  been  destroyed, 
or  driven  from  about  the  camp,  there  was  no  longer 
any  danger  in  that  quarter,  and  the  children  could  be 
left  by  themselves.  Totty  of  course  always  stayed 
with  them,  while  the  four  hunters  went  forth  upon 
the  chase  of  the  elephant,  each  mounted  upon  his 
quagga. 

They  had  done  so  many  a  time,  and  as  no  harm 
had  happened  to  the  children  in  their  absence,  such 
a  course  became  habitual  with  them.  Jan  and  Truey 
were  cautioned  not  to  stray  far  from  the  nwana,  and 
always  to  climb  to  the  tree  should  they  perceive  any 
animal  that  might  be  dangerous.  Before  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  hyenas  and  lions,  they  had  been  used  to 
remain  altogether  in  the  tree,  while  the  hunters  were 
absent.  But  this  had  been  quite  an  imprisonment  to 
them,  and,  now  that  the  danger  was  not  considered 
much,  they  were  allowed  to  come  down  and  play 
upon  the  grassy  plain,  or  wander  along  the  shore  of 
the  little  lake. 

On  one  occasion  when  the  hunters  were  abroad, 
Truey  had  strayed  down  to  the  edge  of  the  water. 
She  was  alone,  if  we  except  the  company  of  the  ga- 
zelle, which  followed  at  her  heels  wherever  she  went. 


312  THE    WEAVER-BIRDS. 

This  pretty  creature  had  grown  to  full  size,  and  had 
turned  out  a  great  beauty,  with  large  round  eyes,  that 
had  a  lovely,  melting  expression,  like  the  eyes  of 
Truey  herself. 

Well,  as  I  have  said,  Truey  was  alone.  Jan  was 
busy  near  the  bottom  of  the  tree,  working  a  new  rod 
into  his  bird-cage,  and  Totty  was  out  upon  the  plain 
herding  "  old  Graaf,"  —  so  Truey  and  the  pet  spring- 
bok went  strolling  along  by  themselves. 

Now,  Truey  had  not  gone  down  to  the  water  with- 
out an  object.  She  had  one.  She  had  gone  to  give 
her  pet  a  drink,  and  collect  some  blue  lilies  for  a 
bouquet.  All  this  she  had  done,  and  still  continued 
to  walk  along  the  shore. 

On  one  side  of  the  lake,  and  that  the  furthest  from 
the  nwana-tree,  a  low  spit  of  land  projected  into  the 
water.  It  had  once  been  but  a  sand-bar,  but  grass 
had  grown  upon  it,  until  a  green  turf  was  formed. 
There  was  not  over  a  square  perch  of  it  altogether, 
but  it  was  not  square  in  shape.  On  the  contrary,  it 
was  of  oval  form,  and  much  narrower  nearest  the 
land,  where  it  formed  a  neck,  or  isthmus,  not  more 
than  three  feet  in  width.  It  was,  in  short,  a  minia- 
ture peninsula,  which  by  a  very  little  work  with  the 
spade  could  have  been  converted  into  a  miniature 
island,  had  that  been  desired. 

Now,  there  is  nothing  very  remarkable  about  a  little 
peninsula  projecting  into  a  lake.  In  nearly  every 
lake  such  a  thing  may  be  seen.  But  about  this  one 
there  was  something  remarkable. 

Upon  its  extreme  end  grew  a  tree  of  singular  form 
and  foliage.  It  was  not  a  large  tree,  and  its  branches 


THE    WEAVER-BIRDS.  313 

drooped  downwards  until  their  tips  almost  touched  the 
water.  The  pendulous  boughs,  and  long  lanceolate 
silvery  leaves,  rendered  it  easy  to  tell  what  sort  of  tree 
it  was.  It  was  the  weeping  or  Babylonian  willow  — 
so  called  because  it  was  upon  trees  of  this  species 
that  the  captive  Jews  hung  their  harps  when  they 
"  sat  and  wept  by  the  streams  of  Babel. "  This 
beautiful  tree  casts  its  waving  shadow  over  the 
streams  of  South  Africa,  as  well  as  those  of  Assyria  ; 
and  often  is  the  eye  of  the  traveller  gladdened  by  the 
sight  of  its  silvery  leaves,  as  he  beholds  them, 
sure  indications  of  water,  shining  afar  over  the 
parched  and  thirsty  desert.  If  a  Christian,  he  fails 
not  to  remember  that  highly  poetical  passage  of 
sacred  writing,  that  speaks  of  the  willow  of  Babylon. 
Now,  the  one  which  grew  upon  the  little  peninsula 
had  all  these  points  of  interest  for  little  Triiey  —  but 
it  had  others  as  well.  Upon  its  branches  that  over- 
hung the  water  a  very  singular  appearance  presented 
itself.  Upon  these  was  suspended  —  one  upon  the 
end  of  each  branch  —  a  number  of  odd-shaped  ob- 
jects, that  hung  drooping  down  until  their  lower  ends 
nearly  rested  upon  the  surface  of  the  water.  These 
objects,  as  stated,  were  of  a  peculiar  shape.  At  the 
upper  ends — where  they  were  attached  to  the 
branches  —  they  were  globe-shaped,  but  the  lower 
part  consisted  of  a  long  cylinder  of  much  smaller 
diameter,  and  at  the  bottom  of  this  cylinder  was  the 
entrance.  They  bore  some,  resemblance  to  salad- 
oil  bottles  inverted,  with  their  necks  considerably 
lengthened  ;  or  they  might  be  compared  to  the  glass 
retorts  seen  in  the  laboratory  of  the  chemist. 


314  THE    WEAVER-BIRDS. 

They  were  each  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  in  length, 
and  of  a  greenish  color  —  nearly  as  green  as  the 
leaves  of  the  tree  itself.  Were  they  its  fruit  ? 

No.  The  weeping  willow  bears  no  fruit  of  that 
size.  They  were  not  fruit.  They  were  nests  of  birds  ! 

Yes  ;  they  were  the  nests  of  a  colony  of  harmless 
finches  of  the  genus  Ploceus, — better  known  to  you 
under  the  appellation  of  "weaver-birds.77 

I  am  sure  you  have  heard  of  weaver-birds  be- 
fore this,  and  you  know  that  these  creatures  are  so 
called  on  account  of  the  skill  which  they  exhibit  in 
the  construction  of  their  nests.  They  do  not  build 
nests,  as  other  birds,  but  actually  weave  them,  in  a 
most  ingenious  manner. 

You  are  not  to  suppose  that  there  is  but  one  spe- 
cies of  weaver-bird  —  one  kind  alone  that  forms  these 
curious  nests.  In  Africa  —  which  is  the  principal 
home  of  these  birds  —  there  are  many  different  kinds, 
forming  different  genera,  whose  hard  names  I  shall 
not  trouble  you  with.  Each  of  these  different  kinds 
builds  a  nest  of  peculiar  shape,  and  each  chooses  a 
material  different  from  the  others.  Some,  as  the 
Proceus  icterocephalus,  make  their  nests  of  a  kidney- 
shape,  with  the  entrance  upon  the  sides,  and  the  lat- 
ter not  circular,  but  like  an  arched  doorway.  Others 
of  the  genus  Plocepasser  weave  their  nests  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  thick  ends  of  the  stalks  stick  out  all 
around  the  outside,  giving  them  the  appearance  of 
suspended  hedgehogs ;  while  the  birds  of  another 
genus,  closely  allied  to  the  latter,  construct  their 
nests  of  slender  twigs,  leaving  the  ends  of  these  to 
project  in  a  similar  manner.  The  "  social  gros-beak  " 


THE   WEAVER-BIRDS.  315 

(Loxia  soda)  fabricates  a  republic  of  nests  in  one 
clump,  and  all  under  one  roof.  The  entrances  are  in 
the  under  surface  of  this  mass,  which,  occupying  the 
whole  top  of  a  tree,  has  the  appearance  of  a  hay- 
stack, or  a  dense  piece  of  thatch. 

All  these  weaver-birds,  though  of  different  genera, 
bear  a  considerable  resemblance  to  each  other  in 
their  habits.  They  are  usually  granivorous,  though 
some  are  insectivorous;  and  one  species,  the  "red- 
billed  weaver-bird "  (Textor  erythrorhynchus) ,  is  a 
parasite  of  the  wild  buffaloes. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  weaver-birds  are 
only  found  in  Africa  and  the  Old  World,  as  stated  in 
the  works  of  many  naturalists.  In  tropical  America 
birds  of  this  character  are  found  in  many  species  of 
the  genera  Cassicus  and  Icterus,  who  weave  pensile 
nests  of  a  similar  kind  upon  the  trees  of  the  Amazon 
and  Orinoco.  But  the  true  weaver-birds,  that  is  to 
say,  those  which  are  considered  the  type  of  the  class, 
are  those  of  the  genus  Ploceus ;  and  it  was  a  species 
of  this  genus  that  had  hung  their  pendulous  habita- 
tions upon  the  weeping  willow.  They  were  of  tho 
species  known  as  the  "  pensile  weaver-bird  "  (Plo- 
ceus pensilis). 

There  were  full  twenty  of  their  nests  in  all,  shaped 
as  already  described,  and  of  green  color ;  for  the 
tough  "  Bushman's  grass,"  out  of  which  they  had 
been  woven,  had  not  yet  lost  its  verdant  hue,  nor 
would  it  for  a  long  time.  Being  of  this  color,  they 
actually  looked  like  something  that  grew  upon  the 
tree  —  like  great  pear-shaped  fruits.  No  doubt  from 
this  source  have  been  derived  the  tales  of  ancient 


316  THE    WEAVER-BIRDS. 

travellers,  who  represented  that  in  Africa  were  trees 
with  fruits  upon  them,  which,  upon  being  broken 
open,  disclosed  to  view  either  living  birds  or  their 
eggs. 

Now,  the  sight  of  the  weaver-birds  and  their 
nests  was  nothing  new  to  Triiey.  It  was  some  time 
since  the  colony  had  established  itself  upon  the 
willow-tree,  and  she  and  they  had  grown  well 
acquainted.  She  had  often  visited  the  birds,  had 
collected  seeds,  and  carried  them  down  to  the  tree  ; 
and  there  was  not  one  of  the  whole  colony  .that 
would  not  have  perched  upon  her  wrist  or  her  pretty 
white  shoulders,  or  hopped  about  over  her  fair  locks, 
without  fear.  It  was  nothing  unusual  to  her  to  see 
the  pretty  creatures  playing  about  the  branches,  or 
entering  the  long  vertical  tunnels  that  led  upward 
to  their  nests  ;  nothing  unusual  for  Triiey  to  listen 
for  hours  to  their  sweet  twittering,  or  watch  their 
love-gambols  around  the  borders  of  the  vley. 

She  was  not  thinking  of  them  at  the  moment,  but 
of  something  else, —  perhaps  of  the  blue  water-lilies, 
perhaps  of  the  springbok,  but  certainly  not  of  them, 
as  she  tripped  gayly  along  the  edge  of  the  lake. 

Her  attention,  however,  was  suddenly  attracted  to 
the  birds. 

All  at  once,  and  without  any  apparent  cause,  they 
commenced  screaming  and  fluttering  around  the  tree, 
their  cries  and  gestures  betokening  a  high  state  of 
excitement  or  alarm.. 


THE    SPITTING-SNAKK.  317 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE    SPITTING-SNAKE. 

"  WHAT  can  be  the  matter  with  my  pretty  birds  ?  " 
asked  Triiey  of  herself.  "  Something  wrong  surely  ! 
I  see  no  hawk.  Perhaps  they  are  fighting  among 
themselves.  I  shall  go  round  and  see.  I  shall  soon 
pacify  them." 

.  And,  so  saying,  she  mended  her  pace  ;  and,  passing 
round  the  end  of  the  lake,  walked  out  upon  the 
peninsula  until  she  stood  under  the  willow. 

There  was  no  underwood.  The  tree  stood  alone 
upon  the  very  end  of  the  spit  of  land,  and  Triiey 
went  close  in  to  its  trunk.  Here  she  stopped  and 
looked  up  among  the  branches,  ^ta  ascertain  what 
was  causing  so  much  excitement  among  the 
birds. 

As  she  approached,  several  of  the  little  creatures 
had  flown  towards  her,  and  alighted  upon  her  arms 
and  shoulders ;  but  not  as  was  their  "wont  when 
desiring  to  be  fed..  They  appeared  to  be  in  a  state 
of  alarm,  and  had  come  to  her  for  protection. 

Some  enemy  certainly  must  be  near,  thought 
Triiey,  though  she  could  see  none. 

She  looked  around  and  above.  There  were  no 
hawks  in  the  air,  nor  on  the  neighboring  trees  —  no 
birds  of  prey  of  any  kind.  Had  there  been  one  in 


318  THE    SPITTING-SNAKE. 

the  willow,  she  could  easily  have  seen  it,  as  the 
foliage  was  light  and  thin  ;  besides,  a  hawk  would 
not  have  remained  in  the  tree  with  her  standing  so 
near.  What,  then,  caused  the  trouble  among  the 
birds  ?  What  was  still  causing  it,  for  they  were 
as  noisy  and  terrified  as  ever  ?  Ha !  At  last  the 
enemy  appears  ;  at  last  Triiey's  eyes  have  fallen 
upon  the  monster  who  has  disturbed  the  peaceful 
colony  of  weavers,  and  roused  them  to  such  a  pitch 
of  excitement. 

Slowly  gliding  along  a  horizontal  branch,  grasp- 
ing the  limb  in  its  many  spiral  folds,  appeared  the 
body  of  a  large  serpent.  Its  scales  glittered  as  it 
moved,  and  it  was  the  shining  of  these  that  had 
caught  Triiey's  eyes,  and  directed  them  upon  the 
hideous  reptile. 

When  she  first  saw  it,  it  was  gliding  spirally 
along  one  of  the  horizontal  branches  of  the  willow, 
and  coming,  as  it  were,  from  the  nests  of  the  birds. 
Her  eyes,  howev^P,  had  scarce  rested  upon  it,  before 
its  long  slippery  body  passed  from  the  branch,  and 
the  next  moment  it  was  crawling  head-foremost  down 
the  main  trunk  of  the  tree. 

Triiey  had  scarce  time  to  start  back,  before  its 
head  was  opposite  the  spot  where  she  had  stood. 
No  doubt,  had  she  kept  her  place,  she  would  have 
been  bitten  by  the  serpent  at  once ;  for  the  reptile, 
on  reaching  that  point,  detached  its  head  from  the 
tree,  spread  its  jaws  wide  open,  projected  its  forked 
tongue,  and  hissed  horribly.  It  was  evidently 
enraged,  partly  because  it  had  failed  in  its  plunder- 
^ing  intentions,  not  having  been  able  to  reach  the 


THE    SPITTING-SNAKE.  319 

nests  of  the  birds,  and  partly  that  the  latter  had 
repeatedly  struck  it  with  their  beaks  —  no  doubt 
causing  it  considerable  pain.  It  was  further  pro- 
voked by  the  arrival  of  Triiey,  in  whom  it  recognized 
the  rescuer  of  its  intended  victims. 

Whatever  were  its  thoughts  at  that  moment,  it 
was  evidently  in  a  rage,  as  the  motion  of  its  head 
and  the  flashing  of  its  eyes  testified ;  and  it  would 
have  sprung  upon  any  creature  that  had  unfortu- 
nately come  in  its  way. 

Triiey,  however,  had  no  intention  of  getting  in 
its  way,  if  she  could  avoid  it.  It  might  be  a  harm- 
less serpent,  for  all  she  knew ;  but  a  snake  nearly 
six  feet  in  length,  whether  it  be  harmless  or  venom- 
ous, is  a  terrible  object  to  be  near ;  and  Triiey  had 
instinctively  glided  to  one  side,  and  stood  off  from 
it  as  far  as  the  water  would  allow  her. 

She  would  have  run  back  over  the  narrow  isthmus  ; 
but  something  told  her  that  the  snake  was  about  to 
take  that  direction,  and  might  overtake  her ;  and 
this  thought  induced  her  to  pass  to  one  side  of  the 
peninsula,  in  hopes  the  reptile  would  follow  the  path 
that  led  out  to  the  mainland. 

Having  got  close  to  the  water's  edge,  she  stood 
gazing  upon  the  hideous  form,  and  trembled  as  she 
gazed. 

Had  Triiey  known  the  character  of  that  reptile, 
she  would  have  trembled  all  the  more.  She  saw 
before  her  one  of  the  most  venomous  of  serpents,  the 
black  naja,  or  "  spitting-snake,"  the  cobra  of  Africa ; 
far  more  dangerous  than  its  congener  the  cobra  de 


320  THE    SPITTING-SNAKE. 

capello  of  India,  because  far  more  active  in  its 
movements,  and  equally  fatal  in  its  bite. 

Truey  knew  not  this.  She  only  knew  that  there 
was  a  great  ugly  snake,  nearly  twice  her  own  length, 
with  a  large  open  mouth  and  glistening  tongue, 
apparently  ready  to  eat  her  up.  That  was  fearful 
enough  for  her,  poor  thing !  and  she  gazed  and  trem- 
bled, and  trembled  and  gazed  again. 

Angry  as  the  cobra  appeared,  it  did  not  turn  aside 
to  attack  her.  Neither  did  it  remain  by  the  tree. 
After  uttering  its  long  loud  hiss,  it  descended  to  the 
ground,  and  glided  rapidly  off. 

It  made  directly  for  the  isthmus,  as  if  intending 
to  pass  it,  and  retreat  to'  some  bushes  that  grew  at  a 
distance  off  on  the  mainland. 

Truey  was  in  hopes  that  such  was  its  design,  and 
was  just  beginning  to  feel  safe  again,  when,  all  at 
once,  the  snake  coiled  itself  upon  th6  narrow  neck 
of  land,  as  if  ft  intended  to  stay  there. 

It  had  executed  this  manoeuvre  so  suddenly,  and 
so  apparently  without  premeditation,  that  Truey 
looked  to  discover  the  cause.  The  moment  before, 
it  was  gliding  along  in  rapid  retreat,  its  glistening 
form  stretched  to  its  full  length  along  the  earth. 
The  next  instant  it  had  assumed  the  appearance  of 
a  coiled  cable,  over  the  edge  of  which  projected  its 
fierce  head,  with  the  scaly  skin  of  its  neck  broadly 
extended,  into  that  hood-like  form  which  characterizes 
the  cobra. 

Truey,  we  have  said,  looked  for  the  cause  of  this 
sudden  change  in  the  tactics  of  the  reptile.  She 
learnt  it  at  the  first  glance. 


THE    SPITTING-SNAKE.  321 

There  stretched  a  piece  of  smooth  sloping  ground 
from  the  edge  of  the  lake  back  into  the  plain.  By 
this  the  little  peninsula  was  approached.  As  she 
glanced  outward,  she  saw  the  springbok  advancing 
down  this  slope.  It  was  the  approach  of  the 
antelope  that  had  interrupted  the  retreat  of  the 
serpent. 

Triiey,  on  first  discovering  the  snake,  had  uttered 
a  cry  of  alarm.  This  cry  had  summoned  her  pet, 
that  had  lingered  behind  browsing  upon  the  grass, 
and  it  was  now  bounding  forward,  with  its  white 
tail  erect,  and  its  large  brown  eyes  glistening  with 
an  expression  of  inquiry. 

It  saw  its  mistress  out  upon  the  peninsula.  Had 
she  called  it  ?  Why  had  she  uttered  that  strange 
cry  ?  They  were  not  sounds  of  joyful  import  it  had 
heard.  Was  anything  amiss  ?  Yonder  she  stood. 
It  would  gallop  to  her,  and  see  what  was  wanted  ; 
and,  with  such  thoughts  passing  through  its  brain, 
the  bright  little  creature  bounded  down  the  bank 
towards  the  edge  of  the  lake. 

Triiey  trembled  for  her  pet.  Another  spring,  and 

it  would  be  upon  the  lurking  serpent  —  another 

"  Ha !  it  is  safe  1 " 

These  words  escaped  from  the  lips  of  the  young 
girl,  as  she  saw  the  springbok  rise  high  into  the  air, 
and  leap  far  and  clear  over  the  coiled  reptile. 
The  antelope  had  observed  the  snake  in  time,  and 
saved  itself  by  one  of  those  tremendous  bounds, 
such  as  only  a  springbok  can  make.  The  fond 
creature,  having  passed  the  danger,  now  ran  on  to 
21 


322  THE    SPITTING-SNAKE. 

its  mistress,  and  stood  with  its  big  shining  eyes  bent 
upon  her  inquiringly. 

But  the  cry  that  Truey  had  uttered  had  summoned 
another  individual.  To  her  horror,  she  now  saw 
little  Jan  running  down  the  slope,  and  coming 
directly  upon  the  path  where  the  cobra  lay  coiled. 


THE    SERPENT-EATER.  323 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE    SERPENT-EATER. 

JAN'S  danger  was  imminent.  He  was  rushing  im- 
petuously forward  upon  the  coiled  serpent.  He 
knew  not  that  it  was  before  him.  No  warning  would 
reach  him  in  time  to  stay  his  haste.  In  another 
moment  he  would  be  on  the  narrow  path,  and  then 
no  power  could  save  him  from  the  deadly  bite.  It 
would  be  impossible  for  him  to  leap  aside  or  over  the 
reptile,  as  the  antelope  had  done  ;  for  even  then  Triiey 
had  noticed  that  the  cobra  had  darted  its  long  neck 
several  feet  upwards.  It  would  be  certain  to  reach 
little  Jan,  perhaps  coil  itself  around  him.  Jan  would 
be  lost ! 

For  some  moments  Triiey  was  speechless.  Terror 
had  robbed  her  of  the  power  of  speech.  She  could 
only  scream,  and  fling  her  arms  wildly  about. 

But  these  demonstrations,  instead  of  warning  Jan 
of  the  danger,  only  rendered  it  the  more  certain. 
He  connected  the  cries  which  Triiey  now  uttered 
with  that  which  had  first  summoned  him.  She  was 
in  some  trouble,  he  knew  not  what ;  but,  as  she  con- 
tinued to  scream,  he  believed  that  something  had 
attacked  her.  A  snake  he  thought  it  might  be  ;  but, 
whatever  it  was,  his  first  impulse  was  to  hurry 
up  to  her  rescue.  He  could  do  no  good  until  close 


324  THE    SERPENT-EATER. 

to  her ;  and,  therefore,  he  did  not  think  of  halting 
until  he  should  reach  the  spot  where  she  stood. 

Her  screams,  therefore,  and  the  wild  gestures  that 
accompanied  them,  only  caused  him  to  run  the 
faster ;  and  as  his  eyes  were  bent  anxiously  on 
Triiey,  there  was  not  the  slightest  hope  that  he 
would  perceive  the  serpent  until  he  had  either  trod- 
den upon  it,  or  felt  its  fatal  bite. 

Triiey  uttered  one  last  cry  of  warning,  pronouncing 
at  the  same  time  the  words  — 

"0,  brother !  back  !     The  snake  !  the  snake  !  " 

The  words  were  uttered  in  vain.  Jan  heard  them, 
but  did  not  comprehend  their  meaning.  He  heard 
the  word  "  snake. "  He  was  expecting  as  much.  It 
had  attacked  Triiey ;  and  although  he  did  not  see 
it,  it-  was  no  doubt  wound  about  her  body.  He 
hurried  on. 

Already  he  was  within  six  paces  of  the  dread 
reptile,  that  had  erected  its  long  spread  neck  to 
receive  him.  Another  moment,  and  its  envenomed 
fangs  would  pierce  deep  into  his  flesh. 

With  a  despairing  scream  Triiey  rushed  forward. 
She  hoped  to  attract  the  monster  upon  herself.  She 
would  risk  her  own  life  to  save  that  of  her  brother. 

She  had  got  within  six  feet  of  the  threatening 
reptile.  Jan  was  about  the  same  distance  from  it 
on  the  opposite  side.  They  were  equally  in  peril ; 
and  one  or  the  other,  perhaps  both,  would  have 
fallen  a  sacrifice  to  the  deadly  cobra  ;  but  at  that 
moment  their  savior  was  nigh.  A  dark  shadow 
passed  under  their  eyes,  in  their  ears  was  a  rushing 
sound  like  the  "  whish  "  of  a  falling  body ;  and  at 


THE    SERPENT    AND    THE    SERPENT-EATER.  Page  335. 


THE    SERPENT-EATER.  325 

the  same  instant  a  large  bird  darted  down  between 
them. 

It  did  not  stay  to  alight.  For  a  moment  its  strong 
broad  wings  agitated  the  air  in  their  faces  ;  but  the 
next  moment  the  bird  made  a  sudden  effort, -and  rose 
vertically  upwards. 

Truey's  eyes  fell  upon  the  ground.  The  cobra 
was  no  longer  there. 

With  an  exclamation  of  joy  she  sprang  forward, 
and,  throwing  her  arms  around  Jan,  cried  out  — 

"  We  are  saved,  brother !  we  are  saved  !  " 

Jan  was  somewhat  bewildered.  As  yet  he  had 
seen  no  snake.  He  had  seen  the  bird  dart  down 
between  them ;  but  so  adroitly  had  it  seized  the 
cobra  and  carried  it  off,  that  Jan,  looking  only  at 
Triiey,  had  not  perceived  the  serpent  in  its  beak. 
He  was  bewildered  and  terrified,  for  he  still  fancied 
that  Triiey  was  in  danger. 

When  he  heard  her  exclaim,  "We  are  saved!" 
he  was  bewildered' all  the  more. 

"  But  the  snake  !  "  he  cried  out.  "  Where  is  the 
snake  ?  " 

As  he  put  these  questions,  he  kept  examining 
Triiey  from  head  to  foot,  as  if  expecting  to  see  a 
reptile  twined  around  some  part  of  her  body. 

"The  snake,  Jan!  Did  you  not  see  it?  It  was 
just  there,  at  our  feet ;  but  now,  see !  yonder  it  is. 
The  secretary  has  got  it.  See  I  They  are  fighting ! 
Good  bird !  I  hope  it  will  punish  the  villain  for 
trying  to  rob  my  pretty  weavers.  That  '&  it,  good 
bird  !  Give  it  to  him  !  See,  Jan  !  What  a  fight ! " 

"  0,   ah ! "    said    Jan,   now  comprehending    the 


326  THE    SERPENT-EATER. 

situation.  "  0,  ah  !  Sure  enough,  yonder  is  a  snake, 
and  a  wopper,  too.  Ne'er  fear,  Triiey !  Trust  my 
secretary.  He  '11  give  the  rascal  a  taste  of  his  claws. 
There  's  a  lick  well  put  in  !  Another  touch  like  that, 
and  there  won't  be  much  life  left  in  the  scaly  villain. 
There  again  —  wop  !  " 

With  these  and  similar  exclamations,  the  two 
children  stood  watching  the  fierce  conflict  that  raged 
between  the  bird  and  the  reptile. 

Now,  this  bird  was  a  very  peculiar  one  ;  so  much 
so,  that  in  all  the  world  there  is  no  other  of  the  same 
kind.  In  form  it  resembled  a  crane,  having  very 
long  legs,  and  being  about  the  height  and  size  of  a 
crane.  Its  head  and  beak,  however,  were  more  like 
those  of  an  eagle  or  vulture.  It  had  well-developed 
wings,  armed  with  spurs  ;  and  a  very  long  tail,  with 
the  two  middle  feathers  longer  than  the  rest.  Its 
general  color  was  bluish-gray,  with  a  white  throat 
and  breast,  and  a  reddish  tinge  upon  the  wing-feath- 
ers. But,  perhaps,  the  most  remarkable  thing  about 
the  bird  was  its  "  crest."  This  consisted  of  a  num- 
ber of  long,  blackish  plumes  growing  out  of  its 
occiput,  and  extending  down  the  back  of  its  neck 
nearly  to  the  shoulders.  These  gave  the  bird  a  very 
peculiar  appearance  ;  and  the  fancied  resemblance  to 
a  secretary  of  the  olden  time  with  his  long  quill 
behind  his  ear,  before  steel  pens  came  into  fashion, 
is  the  reason  why  the  bird  has  received  the  very  in- 
appropriate name  of  the  "  Secretary-bird." 

It  is  more  properly  named  the  "serpent-eater," 
and  naturalists  have  given  it  the  title  Gypogeranus, 
or  "crane-vulture."  It  is  sometimes  also  called 


THE    SERPENT-EATEK.  327 

"  the  messenger/7  from  the  staid,  solemn  manner  of 
its  walk,  as  it  stalks  over  the  plain. 

Of  all  its  names  that  of  "  serpent-eater  "  is  the 
best  adapted  to  the  character  of  the  bird.  It  is  true 
there  are  other  birds  that  kill  and  eat  serpents,  as 
the  "  guaco "  bird  of  South  America,  and  many 
hawks  and  kites  ;  but  the  secretary  is  the  only  winged 
creature  that  makes  reptiles  of  this  class  exclusively 
its  prey,  and  carries  on  a  constant  war  against  them. 
It  is  not  strictly  correct  to  say  that  it  feeds  exclu- 
sively upon  snakes.  It  will  also  eat  lizards,  tor- 
toises, and  even  locusts  ;  but  snakes  are  certainly 
its  favorite  food,  and  to  obtain  these  it  risks  its  life 
in  many  a  deadly  encounter  with  those  of  a  very 
large  kind. 

The  serpent-eater  is  an  African  bird,  and  is  not 
peculiar  to  South  Africa  alone,  as  it  is  foujid  in  the 
Gambia  country.  It  is  also  a  native  of  the  Philippine 
Isles.  There  is  some  doubt  whether  the  species  of 
the  Philippine  Isles  is  identical  with  that  of  Africa. 
A  difference  is  noted  in  the  plumage,  though  very 
slight.  The  disposition  of  the  crest-plumes  differs  in 
the  two,  and  the  tail-feathers  are  differently  arranged. 
In  the  African  species  the  two  middle  ones  are  the 
longest,  while  in  the  serpent-eater  of  the  Philippines 
it  is  the  two  outside  feathers  that  project,  giving  the 
bird  the  appearance  of  having  a  "  fork  "  or  "  swal- 
low77 tail.  Some  points  of  distinction  have  also 
been  observed  between  the  South  African  bird  and 
that  of  the  Gambia. 

The  serpent-eater  is,  however,  a  very  unique  bird ; 
and  naturalists,  failing  to  class  it  with  either  hawks, 


328  THE    SERPENT-EATER. 

eagles,  vultures,  gallinae,  or  cranes,  have  elevated 
it,  so  as  to  form  a  distinct  tribe,  family,  genus,  and 
species,  of  itself. 

In  South  Africa  it  frequents  the  great  plains  and 
dry  karoos,  stalking  about  in  search  of  its  prey.  It 
is  not  gregarious,  but  lives  solitary  or  in  pairs,  mak- 
ing its  nest  in  trees,  —  usually  those  of  a  thick, 
thorny  species,  which  renders  the  nest  most  dif- 
ficult of  approach.  The  whole  edifice  is  about  three 
feet  in  diameter,  and  resembles  the  nests  of  the  tree- 
building  eagles.  It  is  usually  lined  with  feathers 
and  down,  and  two  or  three  eggs  are  the  number 
deposited  for  a  single  hatching. 

The  serpent-eater  is  an  excellent  runner,  and 
spends  more  time  on  foot  than  on  the  wing.  It  is  a 
shy,  wary  bird,  yet,  notwithstanding,  it  is  most 
easily  domesticated  ;  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see 
them  about  the  houses  of  the  Cape  farmers,  where 
they  are  kept  as  pets,  on  account  of  their  usefulness 
in  destroying  snakes,  lizards,  and  other  vermin. 
They  have  been  long  ago  introduced  into  the  French 
West  India  Islands,  and  naturalized  there,  in  order 
that  they  should  make  war  upon  the  dangerous 
"yellow  serpent"  (Trigonocephalus  lanceolalus) ,  the 
plague  of  the  plantations  in  those  parts. 

Now,  the  bird  which  had  so  opportunely  appeared 
between  Jan  and  Triiey,  and  had  no  doubt  saved  one 
or  the  other,  or  both,  from  the  deadly  bite  of  the 
spuugh-slang,  was  a  serpent-eater,  —  one  that  had 
been  tamed,  and  that  made  its  home  among  the 
branches  of  the  great  nwana-tree.  The  hunters  had 
found  it  upon  the  plain,  wounded  by  some  animal,  — 


THE    SERPENT-EATER.  329 

perhaps  a  very  large  snake,  —  and  had  brought  it 
home  as  a  curiosity.  In  time  it  quite  recovered  from 
its  wounds  ;  but  the  kindness  it  had  received  during 
the  period  when  it  was  an  invalid  was  not  thrown 
away  upon  it.  When  it  recovered  the  use  of  its 
wings,  it  refused  to  leave  the  society  of  its  protect- 
ors, but  remained  habitually  in  the  camp,  although 
it  made  frequent  excursions  into  the  surrounding 
plains,  in  search  of  its  favorite  food.  It  always, 
however,  returned  at  night,  and  roosted  among  the 
branches  of  the  great  nwana-tree.  Of  course  it  was 
Jan's  pet,  and  Jan  was  very  good  to  it ;  but  it  now 
repaid  all  his  kindness  in  saving  him  from  the  fangs 
of  the  deadly  cobra. 

The  children,  having  recovered  from  their  alarm, 
stood  watching  the  singular  conflict  between  serpent 
and  serpent-eater. 

On  first  seizing  the  reptile,  the  bird  had  caught  it 
by  the  neck  in  its  beak.  It  might  not  have  accom- 
plished this  so  readily,  had  not  the  attention  of  the 
snake  been  occupied  by  the  children,  thus  throwing 
it  off  its  guard. 

Having  succeeded  in  seizing  the  reptile,  the  bird 
rose  nearly  in  a  vertical  direction  to  a  height  of  many 
yards,  and  then,  opening  his  beak,  permitted  the 
serpent  to  fall  to  the  ground.  His  object  was  to 
stun  the  latter  by  a  fall ;  and,  the  more  effectually 
to  do  this,  he  would  have  carried  the  cobra  still 
higher,  had  not  the  latter  prevented  it  by  attempting 
to  coil  itself  around  his  wings. 

Upon  letting  fall  his  prey,  the  serpent-eater  did 
not  remain  in  the  air.  On  the  contrary,  he  darted 


330  THE    SERPENT-EATER. 

after  the  falling  reptile,  and  the  moment  the  latter 
touched  the  ground,  and  before  it  could  put  itself  in 
an  attitude  of  defence,  the  bird  "pounced"  upon  it 
with  spread  foot,  striking  it  a  violent  blow  near  the 
neck.  The  snake  was  still  but  slightly  damaged, 
and,  throwing  itself  into  a  coil,  stood  upon  its  de- 
fence. Its  mouth  was  opened  to  its  widest  extent, 
its  tongue  protruded,  its  fangs  were  erect,  and  its 
eyes  flashing  with  rage  and  poison.  A  terrible  an- 
tagonist it  appeared,  and,  for  a  moment,  the  secre- 
tary seemed  to  think  so,  as  he  stood  on  the  ground 
confronting  it. 

But  the  bird  soon  began  to  advance  upon  it  for  a 
renewal  of  the  attack,  though  this  advance  was  made 
in  a  cautious  manner.  With  the  pinions  of  one  of 
his  strong  wings  spread  broadly  out  for  a  shield,  he 
approached  the  reptile  sideways,  and,  when  near 
enough,  suddenly  wheeled,  turning  upon  his  leg  as 
on  a  pivot,  and  struck  sharply  out  with  his  other 
wing.  The  blow  was  delivered  with  good  effect. 
It  reached  the  head  of  the  snake,  and  seemed  to  stun 
it.  Its  neck  drooped,  and  the  coils  became  loosened. 
Before  it  could  recover  itself  it  was  once  more  in 
the  beak  of  the  serpent-eater,  and  trailing  through 
the  air. 

This  time  the  bird  rose  to  a  much  greater  height 
than  before,  as  he  was  not  hampered  by  the  writhing 
of  the  serpent,  and,  as  before,  suffered  the  reptile  to 
fall,  and  then  darted  suddenly  after. 

When  the  snake  came  to  the  ground  a  second 
time,  it  lay  for  a  moment  stretched  at  full  length,  as 
if  stunned,  or  dead.  It  was  not  dead,  however,  and 


THE    SERPENT-EATER.  331 

would  once  more  have  coiled  itself;  but,  before  it 
could  do  so,  the  bird  had  repeatedly  "  pounced ;; 
upon  its  neck  with  his  spread  and  horny  feet ;  and, 
at  length,  watching  his  opportunity  when  the  head 
of  the  serpent  lay  flat,  he  struck  a  blow  with  his 
sharp  beak  so  violent  that  it  split  the  skull  of  the 
reptile  in  twain !  Life  was  now  extinct,  and  the 
hideous  form,  extended  to  its  full  length,  lay  lithe 
and  motionless  upon  the  grass. 

Jan  and  Triiey  clapped  their  hands,  and  uttered 
exclamations  of  joy. 

The  serpent-eater  took  no  heed  of  their  demonstra- 
tions, but,  approaching  the  dead  cobra,  bent  over  it, 
and  coolly  set  about  making  his  dinner. 


332  TOTTY    AND   THE    CHACMAS. 


CHAPTER    XL VI. 

TOTTY   AND    THE    CHACMAS. 

VON  BLOOM  and  his  family  had  now  been  months 
without  bread.  They  were  not  without  a  substitute, 
however,  as  various  roots  and  nuts  supplied  them 
with  a  change  of  food.  Of  the  latter,  they  had  the 
ground  or  pig  nut  (Arachis  hypogea) ,  which  grows  in 
all  parts  of  Southern  Africa,  and  which  forms  a  staple 
food  of  the  native  inhabitants.  For  vegetables  they 
had  the  bulbs  of  many  species  of  Ixias  and  Mesembry- 
anthemums;  among  others  the  "  Hottentot  fig  "  (Mes- 
embryanthemum  edule).  They  had  the  "  Caffir  bread  " 
—  the  inside  pith  of  the  stems  of  a  species  of  Zamia ; 
and  the  "  Caffir  chestnut,"  the  fruit  of  the  Brabeium 
stellatum ;  and  last,  not  least,  the  enormous  roots  of 
the  "elephant's  foot"  (Testudinaria  elephantipes) . 
They  had  wild  onions  and  garlic,  too  ;  and  in  the 
white  flower-tops  of  a  beautiful  floating  plant  (Apono- 
geton  distachys)  they  found  a  substitute  for  asparagus. 
All  these  roots  and  fruits  were  to  be  obtained  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  no  man  knew  better  how  to 
find  them,  and  "crow"  them  up  when  found,  than 
did  Swartboy,  the  Bushman.  Well  might  he,  for  in 
Swartboy's  early  days  he  had  often  been  compelled 
to  subsist  for  weeks,  and  even  months,  on  roots 
alone. 


TOTTY    AND   THE    CHACMAS.  333 

But,  although  they  could  procure  a  constant  sup- 
ply of  these  natural  productions,  they  considered 
them  but  a  poor  substitute  for  bread  ;  and  all  of  them 
longed  to  eat  once  more  what  is  usually  termed  the 
"staff  of  life"  —  though  in  South  Africa,  where  so 
many  people  live  exclusively  upon  the  flesh  of  ani- 
mals, bread  is  hardly  entitled  to  that  appellation. 

Bread  they  were  likely  to  have,  and  soon.  When 
treking  from  the  old  kraal,  they  had  brought  with 
them  a  small  bag  of  maize.  It  was  the  last  of  their 
previous  year's  stock ;  and  there  was  not  in  all  over 
a  bushel  of  it.  But  that  was  enough  for  seed,  and 
would  produce  many  bushels  if  properly  planted  and 
carefully  tended. 

This  had  been  done  shortly  after  their  arrival  at 
their  present  home.  A  fertile  spot  of  ground  had 
been  selected,  only  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the 
nwana-tree.  It  had  been  turned  up  with  the  spade, 
for  want  of  a  plough,  and  the  seeds  planted  at  proper 
distances. 

Many  an  hour  had  been  given  to  the  weeding  and 
hoeing  of  it ;  and  around  every  plant  a  little  hill  of 
soft  mould  had  been  raised,  to  nourish  the  roots  and 
protect  them  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  The  plants 
were  even  watered,  now  and  then. 

Partly  on  account  of  this  attention,  and  partly 
from  the  richness  of  the  virgin  soil,  a  splendid  growth 
was  the  result ;  and  the  stalks  stood  full  twelve  feet 
high,  with  ears  nearly  a  foot  long.  They  had  almost 
ripened,  and  the  field-cornet  intended  in  about  a  week 
or  ten  days  to  gather  in  the  crop. 

Both  he  and  all  his  people  were  anticipating  pleas- 


334  TOTTY    AND   THE    CHACMA3. 

ant  feasts  4  of  maize-bread,  and  "hominy,"  with 
"mash  and  milk,"  and  various  other  dishes,  that, 
with  Totty's  skill,  could  be  manufactured  out  of  the 
Indian  corn. 

About  this  time  an  incident  occurred  that  nearly 
deprived  them,  not  only  of  their  whole  plot  of  maize- 
plants,  but  also  of  their  valuable  housekeeper,  Totty. 
It  was  as  follows  : 

Totty  was  on  the  platform  in  the  great  nwana-tree, 
which  commanded  a  view  of  the  corn-patch,  and  also 
of  the  plain  beyond,  as  far  as  the  bottom  of  the  cliffs. 
She  was  busied  about  "  house  "  affairs,  when  her  at- 
tention was  called  off  by  some  singular  noises  that 
came  from  that  direction.  She  parted  the  branches 
and  looked  through.  A  singular  scene  was  before 
her  eyes  —  a  spectacle  of  no  common  kind. 

A  body  of  odd-looking  animals,  to  the  number  of 
two  hundred  or  more,  was  coming  from  the  direction 
of  the  cliffs.  They  were  creatures  of  ungainly  forms, 
in  make  and  size  not  unlike  large,  ill-shaped  dogs, 
and  of  a  greenish-brown  color.  Their  faces  and  ears 
only  were  black,  and  these  were  naked,  while  their 
bodies  were  covered  with  harsh,  coarse  hair.  They 
had  long  tails,  which  some  of  them  carried  high  in 
the  air,  and  flourished  about  in  a  very  eccentric 
manner. 

Totty  was  by  no  means  alarmed.  She  knew  what 
sort  of  animals  they  were ;  she  knew  they  were 
baboons.  They  were  of  the  species  known  as  the 
"pig-faced"  baboon,  or  "chacma"  (Cynocephalus 
porcarius),  which  is  found  in  nearly  every  part  of 
South  Africa  where  there  are  high  cliffs  with  caves 


TOTTY    AND    THE    CHACMAS.  335 

and  crevices,  —  the  favorite  dwelling-places  of  the 
baboon. 

Of  all  the  monkey  tribe,  the  baboons,  or  dog- 
headed  monkeys  (cynocephali) ,  are  the  most  disgust- 
ing in  form  and  features.  Who  does  not  feel  dis- 
gust when  regarding  the  hideous  mandrill,  the  drill, 
the  hamadryas,  or  even  the  chacma  ?  And  all  these 
are  baboons. 

The  baboons  are  peculiar  to  Africa,  and  there  are 
six  well-known  species  of  them  :  the  common  baboon 
of  North  Africa,  the  "papion"  of  the  south  'and 
western  coast,  the  "hamadryas,"  or  "tartarin,"  of 
Abyssinia,  the  "  mandrill "  and  "  drill  "  of  Guinea, 
and  the  "  chacma"  of  the  Cape  colony. 

The  habits  of  these  animals  are  as  disgusting  as 
their  appearance.  They  may  be  tamed  and  made 
"  pets  "of;  but  dangerous  pets  they  are,  as  they 
will,  upon  the  slightest  provocation,  bite  the  hand 
that  feeds  them. 

Their  great  strength  of  body  and  jaw,  and  their 
long  canine  teeth,  give  them  a  dangerous  power, 
which  they  often  make  use  of.  No  dog  is  a  match 
for  one,  and^  the  hyena  and  leopard  often  come  off 
second-best  in  an  encounter  with  a  baboon. 

They  are  not  carnivorous,  however,  and  only  tear 
their  enemy  to  pieces,  without  eating  it.  Their  food 
consists  of  fruits  and  bulbous  roots,  which  they  well 
understand  to  dig  out  of  the  ground  with  the  sharp 
nails  of  their  hands. 

Although  they  will  not  attack  man  if  left  alone, 
they  become  dangerous  assailants  when  hunted  and 
brought  to  bay. 


336  TOTTY    AND    THE    CHACMAS. 

Many  odd  stories  are  told  of  the  chacma  baboon 
among  the  settlers  of  Southern  Africa  ;  such  as  their 
robbing  the  traveller  of  his  food,  and  then  going  off 
to  some  distance  and  mocking  him  while  they  devour 
it.  The  natives  also  say  that  they  sometimes  use  a 
stick  in  walking,  "  crowing  "  for  roots,  and  in  self- 
defence.  Also,  when  a  young  one  has  succeeded  in 
finding  a  choice  root,  and  is  observed  by  an  older 
and  stronger  one,  that  the  latter  takes  it  away ;  but, 
should  the  young  one  have  already  swallowed  it, 
then  the  bully  picks  him  up,  turns  him  head  down- 
ward, and  shakes  him  until  he  is  forced  to  "  dis- 
gorge "  I  Many  such  tales  are  current  in  the  country 
of  the  boors,  and  they  are  not  all  without  founda- 
tion, for  these  animals  most  certainly  possess  the 
power  of  reflection  in  a  high  degree. 

Totty  from  her  perch  saw  enough  to  convince  her 
of  this,  had  she  been  herself  inclined  to  philosophize. 
But  she  was  not.  She  was  only  a  little  curious 
about  the  manoeuvres  of  the  animals,  and  she  called 
Triiey  and  little  Jan  up  into  the  tree,  in  order  that 
they  might  share  the  spectacle  with  her.  All  the 
others  were  off  hunting. 

Jan  was  delighted,  and  ran  up  the  ladder  at  once. 
So  did  Truey,  and  all  three  stood  watching  the  odd 
movements  of  the  four-handed  creatures. 

They  perceived  that  the  troop  was  actually  march- 
ing in  order  ;  not  in  line,  but  with  some  understood 
arrangement.  There  were  scouts  upon  the  wings, 
and  leaders  in  front.  These  were  baboons  of  greater 
age  and  size  than  the  others.  There  were  calls  and 
signals,  and  the  change  of  accent  and  tone  would 


TOTTY    AND    THE    CHACMAS.  337 

have  convinced  any  one  that  a  regular  conversation 
was  going  on.  The  females  and  younger  ones 
marched  in  the  middle,  for  better  security.  The 
mothers  carried  their  infants  upon  their  backs,  or 
over  their  shoulders.  Now  a  mother  would  stop  to 
suckle  her  little  offspring,  —  dressing  its  hair  at  the 
same  time,  —  and  then  gallop  forward  to  make  up 
for  the  loss.  Now  one  would  be  seen  beating  her 
child,  that  had  in  some  way  given  offence.  Now 
two  young  females  would  quarrel,  from  jealousy  or 
some  other  cause  ;  and  then  a  terrible  chattering 
would  ensue,  to  be  silenced  by  the  loud  threatening 
bark  of  one  of  the  chiefs. 

Thus  proceeded  they  across  the  plain,  chattering, 
and  screaming,  and  barking,  as  only  monkeys  can. 

What  were  they  after  ? 

That  question  was  answered  very  soon.  Triiey, 
and  Jan,  and  Totty,  saw,  to  their  dismay,  that  the 
baboons  were  not  out  upon  an  idle  errand.  They 
were  after  the  maize-plants  ! 

In  a  few  minutes  most  of  the  troop  had  entered 
the  corn-field,  and  were  hidden  from  view  by  the  tall 
stems  and  broad  leaves  of  the  plants.  A  few  only 
could  be  seen, — large  old  fellows,  that  stationed 
themselves  outside  as  sentinels,  and  were  keeping 
up  a  constant  interchange  of  signals.  The  main 
body  was  already  stripping  the  plants  of  their  pre- 
cious fruit. 

But  a  singular  appearance  presented  itself  beyond 

the  corn-field,  where  a  line  of  baboons,  stationed  at 

equal  distance  from  one  another,  extended  away  to 

the  very  bottom  of  the  cliff.     These  had  been  left  by 

22 


338  TOTTY    AND    THE    CHACMAS. 

a  regular  manoeuvre  —  a  deployment  —  as  the  troop 
traversed  the  plain  in  coming  to  the  field.  For  what 
purpose  ? 

That  was  soon  apparent.  In  less  than  two  minutes 
after  the  crowd  disappeared  under  the  shelter  of  the 
maize-plants,  the  long  heads  in  their  husks  were 
seen  showering  out  towards  the  line,  as  if  flung  by 
the  hand  of  man  !  Those  placed  at  the  near  end  of 
the  line  immediately  took  them  up,  pitched  them  to 
the  next,  and  these  to  the  next,  and  so  on,  until,  in 
a  very  short  while  from  the  time  a  head  was  plucked 
from  the  stalk,  it  was  delivered  to  the  storehouse  of 
the  baboons,  far  off  among  the  cliffs  ! 

Had  this  work  gone  on  much  longer,  the  field- 
cornet  would  have  had  but  a  poor  gathering  in  har- 
vest-time. The  baboons  thought  the  corn  ripe 
enough,  and  would  soon  have  made  a  crop  of  it,  but 
at  this  moment  their  operations  were  interrupted. 

Totty  knew  but  little  of  the  danger  she  underwent, 
when  she  ran  forth  with  nothing  but  that  long  broom- 
handle  to  drive  off  a  troop  of  chacmas.  She  only 
thought  of  the  loss  her  kind  master  was  sustaining, 
and  down  the  ladder  she  hurried,  and  ran  straight 
out  to  the  corn-field. 

Several  sentinels  met  her  by  its  edge,  grinned, 
chattered,  screamed,  barked,  and  showed  their  long 
canine  teeth ;  but  they  only  received  a  blow  over 
their  ugly  snouts  from  the  broom-handle.  Their 
cries  summoned  the  others,  and  in  a  few  moments 
the  poor  Hottentot  was  standing  in  the  midst  of  an 
angry  circle  of  chacmas,  that  were  only  prevented 


TOTTY    IN    TROUBLE. 


Page     338. 


TOTTY    AND    THE   CHACMAS.  339 

from  springing  in  upon  her  by  the  expert  manner  in 
which  she  continued  to  ply  the  broom-stick. 

But  this  slight  weapon  would  not  have  served 
much  longer,  and  Totty's  fate  —  that  of  being  torn 
to  pieces  —  would  soon  have  been  sealed,  had  not 
four  horsemen,  or  rather  "  quagga-men,"  at  that 
moment  galloped  up  to  her  rescue. 

These  were  the  hunters  returning  from  the  chase  ; 
and  a  volley  from  their  guns  at  once  scattered  the 
ugly  chacmas,  and  sent  them  howling  back  to  their 
caves. 

After  that,  the  field-cornet  looked  well  to  his  maize 
until  it  was  ready  for  gathering,  when  it  was  all 
brought  home,  and  deposited  in  safety  out  of  the 
reach  of  either  birds,  reptiles,  quadrupeds,  or  quad- 
rumana. 


340  THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

THE    WILD    HOUNDS   AND   THE   HARTEBEEST. 

SINCE  the  taming  of  the  quaggas,  the  hunting  had 
been  attended  with  tolerable  success.  Not  a  week 
passed  without  adding  a  pair  of  tusks  —  sometimes 
two  or  three  pairs  —  to  the  collection,  which  now 
began  to  assume  the  form  of  a  little  pyramid  of  ivory 
standing  near  the  bottom  of  the  nwana. 

Von  Bloom,  however,  was  not  quite  satisfied  with 
his  progress.  He  thought  they  might  do  far  better 
if  they  only  had  a  few  dogs. 

Though  the  quaggas  were  of  great  service  to 
them,  and  with  these  they  were  often  able  to  over- 
take the  elephant,  yet  they  as  often  lost  their  great 
game,  and  it  is  more  easy  to  do  so  than  most  persons 
imagine. 

But,  with  dogs  to  join  in  the  hunt,  the  result 
would  be  quite  different.  It  is  true  these  animals 
cannot  pull  down  an  elephant,  nor  do  him  the  slight- 
est injury ;  but  they  can  follow  him  whithersoever 
he  may  go,  and  by  their  barking  bring  him  to  a 
stand. 

Another  valuable  service  which  the  dogs  per- 
form is  in  drawing  the  attention  of  the  elephant 
away  from  the  hunters.  The  huge  quadruped  when 
enraged  is,  as  we  have  already  seen,  exceedingly 


THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST.  341 

dangerous.  On  such  occasions  he  will  charge  upon 
the  noisy  dogs,  mistaking  them  for  his  real  assail- 
ants. This,  of  course,  gives  the  hunter  a  good  op- 
portunity of  delivering  his  fire,  and  avoiding  the 
deadly  encounter  of  the  elephant. 

Now,  in  several  elephant-hunts  which  they  had 
lately  made,  our  hunters  had  run  some  very  narrow 
risks.  Their  quaggas  were  neither  so  manageable 
nor  so  quick  in  their  movements  as  horses  would 
have  been,  and  this  rendered  the  hazard  still  greater. 
Some  of  them  might  one  day  fall  a  victim.  So  feared 
Yon  Bloom  ;  and  he  would  gladly  have  given  for  a 
number  of  dogs  an  elephant's  tusk  apiece,  even 
though  they  were  the  most  worthless  of  curs.  In- 
deed, their  quality  is  but  of  slight  importance.  Any 
dogs  that  can  trace  the  elephant  and  pester  him  with 
their  barking  would  do. 

Von  Bloom  even  thought  of  taming  some  hyenas, 
and  training  them  to  the  hunt.  This  idea  was  by  no 
means  quixotic.  The  hyena  is  often  used  for  such 
a  purpose,  and  performs  even  better  than  many  kinds 
of  dogs. 

One  day  Von  Bloom  was  pondering  over  this  sub- 
ject. He  was  seated  on  a  little  platform  that  had 
been  constructed  very  high  up, — near  the  top  of  the 
nwana-tree, —  from  which  a  view  could  be  had  of  the 
whole  country  around.  It  was  a  favorite  resort  of 
the  field-cornet  —  his  smoking-room,  in  fact  —  where 
he  went  every  evening  to  enjoy  a  quiet  pull  out  of 
his  great  meerschaum.  His  face  was  turned  upon 
the  plain  that  stretched  from  the  border  of  the  bosch 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 


342  THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST. 

While  quietly  puffing  away,  his  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  some  animals  standing  at  a  distance  off 
upon  the  plain.  .The  brilliant  color  of  their  bodies 
had  caught  his  eye. 

They  were  of  a  lively  sienna-color  over,  the  back 
and  sides,  and  white  underneath,  with  a  list  of  black 
upon  the  outside  of  the  legs,  and  some  black  stripes 
upon  the  face,  as  regularly  defined  as  if  laid  on  by 
the  brush  of  a  painter.  They  had  horns  of  very  ir- 
regular shape,  roughly  knotted  —  each  curved  into 
something  of  the  shape  of  a  reaping-hook,  and  rising 
directly  from  the  top  of  one  of  the  straightest  and 
longest  heads  ever  carried  by  an  animal  These  ani- 
mals were  far  from  being  gracefully  formed.  They 
had  drooping  hind-quarters,  like  the  giraffe,  though 
in  a  much  less  degree ;  shoulders  greatly  elevated, 
and  long  narrow  heads.  For  the  rest,  their  forms 
were  bony  and  angular.  Each  stood  five  feet  high 
from  the  fore-hoof  to  the  shoulder,  and  full  nine  feet 
in  length. 

They  were  antelopes,  of  course  —  that  species 
known  among  Cape  colonists  as  the  "  hartebeest" 
(Acronotus  caama).  There  were  in  all  about  fifty  of 
them  in  the  herd. 

When  first  observed  by  Von  Bloom,  they  were 
quietly  browsing  upon  the  plain.  The  next  moment, 
however,  they  were  seen  to  run  to  and  fro,  as  if  sud- 
denly alarmed  by  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 

And  an  enemy  there  certainly  was ;  for,  in  a  mo- 
ment more,  the  herd  had  taken  to  flight,  and  Von 
Bloom  now  saw  that  they  were  followed  by  a  pack  of 
hounds!  I  say  a  "pack  of  hounds,"  for  the  creatures 


THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST.  343 

in  the  distance  exactly  resembled  hounds  more  than 
anything  in  the  world.  Nay,  more  than  resembled, 
for  it  actually  was  a  pack  of  hounds  —  of  wild  hounds  ! 

Of  course  Von  Bloom  knew  what  they  were.  He 
knew  they  were  the  "wilde-honden,"  very  absurdly 
named  by  sapient  naturalists  "Hyena  venatica,"  or 
"hunting  hyena,"  and  by  others,  with  equal  absurd- 
ity, the  "hunting  dog."  I  pronounce  these  names 
"  absurd/'  first,  because  the  animal  in  question  bears 
no  more  resemblance  to  a  hyena  than  it  does  to  a 
hedgehog;  and,  secondly,  because  "hunting  dog" 
is  a  very  ridiculous  appellation,  since  any  dog  may 
merit  a  similar  title. 

Now,  I  would  ask,  why  could  these  naturalists  not 
let  the  nomenclature  of  the  boors  alone  ?  If  a  better 
name  than  "  wilde-honden"  (wild  hounds)  can  be 
given  to  these  animals,  I  should  like  to  hear  it. 
Why,  it  is  the  very  perfection  of  a  name,  and  ex- 
actly expresses  the  character  of  the  animal  to  which 
they  apply  it  —  that  character,  which,  coming  under 
their  every-day  observation,  suggested  the  name. 

It  is  quite  a  libel  to  call  this  beautiful  creature  a 
hyena.  He  has  neither  the  ugly  form,  the  harsh 
pelage,  the  dull  color,  nor  the  filthy  habits,  of  one. 
Call  him  a  "wolf,"  or  "wild  dog,"  if  you  please, 
but  he  is  at  the  same  time  the  handsomest  wolf  or 
wild  dog  in  creation.  But  we  shall  name  him,  as  the 
boors  have  done,  a  "  wild  hound."  That  is  his  true 
title,  let  naturalists  class  him  as  they  may. 

His  size,  shape,  his  smooth,  clean  coat,  as  well  as 
his  color,  approximate  him  more  to  the  hound  than 
to  any  other  animal.  In  the  last  —  which  is  a  ground 


344  THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST. 

of  "  tan"  blotched  and  mottled  with  large  spots  of 
black  and  gray  —  he  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to 
the  common  hound  ;  and  the  superior  size  of  his 
ears  would  seem  to  assimilate  him  still  more  to  this 
animal.  The  ears,  however,  as  in  all  the  wild  species 
of  Canis,  are,  of  course,  not  hanging,  but  erect. 

His  habits,  however,  crown  the  resemblance.  In 
his  natural  state  the  wild  hound  never  prowls  alone, 
but  boldly  runs  down  his  game,  following  it  in  large 
organized  packs,  just  as  hounds  do  ;  and  in  his  hunt- 
ing he  exhibits  as  much  skill  as  if  he  had  Tom  Moody 
riding  at  his  heels,  to  guide  with  whip  and  horn. 

It  was  the  field-cornet's  good  fortune  to  witness 
an  exhibition  of  this  skill. 

The  hounds  had  come  unexpectedly  upon  the 
hartebeest  herd  ;  and  almost  at  the  first  dash  one 
of  the  antelopes  became  separated  from  the  rest,  and 
ran  in  an  opposite  direction.  This  was  just  what  the 
cunning  dogs  wanted  ;  and  the  whole  pack,  instead 
of  following  the  herd,  turned  after  the  single  one, 
and  ran  "  tail  on  end." 

Now,  this  hartebeest,  although  an  ill-shaped  ante- 
lope, is  one  of  the  very  swiftest  of  the  tribe  ;  and 
the  wild  hound  does  not  capture  it  without  a  severe 
chase.  In  fact,  he  could  not  capture  it  at  all,  if 
speed  were  the  only  point  between  the  two  animals. 
But  it  is  not.  The  hartebeest  has  a  weakness  in  its 
character,  opposite  to  which  the  wild  hound  pos- 
sesses a  cunning. 

The  former,  when  chased,  although  it  runs  in  a 
straight  line,  does  not  keep  long  in  a  direct  course. 
Now  and  then  it  diverges  to  one  side  or  the  other, 


THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST.          345 

led  perhaps  by  the  form  of  the  ground,  or  some  other 
circumstance.  In  this  habit  lies  its  weakness.  The 
wild  hound  is  well  aware  of  it,  and  takes  advantage 
of  it  by  a  manoeuvre,  which  certainly  savors  strongly 
of  reflection  on  his  part. 

Our  field-cornet  had  a  proof  of  this  as  he  watched 
the  chase.  His  elevated  position  gave  him  a  view 
of  the  whole  ground,  and  he  could  note  every  move- 
ment both  of  pursuer  and  pursued. 

On  breaking  off,  the  hartebeest  ran  in  a  right 
line,  and  the  hounds  followed  straight  after.  They 
had  not  gone  far,  however,  when  Yon  Bloom  per- 
ceived that  one  hound  was  forging  ahead  of  the  rest, 
and  running  much  faster  than  any  of  them.  He 
might  have  been  a  swifter  dog  than  the  others,  but 
the  hunter  did  not  think  it  was  that.  He  appeared 
rather  to  be  running  harder  than  they,  as  if  sent 
forward  to  push  the  hartebeest,  while  the  rest  saved 
their  wind. 

This  proved  to  be  really  the  case  ;  for  the  dog,  by 
a  desperate  effort,  having  gained  upon  the  antelope, 
caused  the  latter  to  turn  slightly  from  its  original 
course  ;  and  the  pack,  perceiving  this,  changed  their 
direction  at  the  same  time,  and  held  along  a  diagonal 
line,  as  if  to  head  the  game.  By  this  means  they 
avoided  the  detour  which  both  the  antelope  and 
their  companion  had  made. 

The  hartebeest  was  now  running  upon  a  new  line  ; 
and,  as  before,  one  of  the  hounds  was  soon  seen  to 
head  the  pack,  and  press  forward  at  the  top  of  his 
speed.  The  one  that  first  led,  as  soon  as  the  ante- 
lope turned  from  its  original  course,  fell  back,  re- 


346     THE  WILD  HOUNDS  AND  THE  HARTEBEEST. 

joined  the  pack,  and  was  now  lagging  among  the 
hindmost!  His  "turn"  of  duty  was  over. 

Again  the  hartebeest  verged  from  its  course. 
Again  the  pack  ran  obliquely,  and  made  a  second 
"cut"  upon  him  ;  again  a  fresh  dog  took  the  lead, 
and  on  swept  the  chase  as  before  —  the  wild  hounds 
uttering  their  yelping  notes  as  they  ran. 

Several  times  was  this  manoeuvre  executed  by  the 
cunning  dogs,  until  the  desired  result  was  accom- 
plished, and  the  antelope  was  completely  "blown." 

Then,  as  if  they  felt  that  it  was  in  their  power,  and 
that  further  strategy  was  not  needed,  the  whole  pack 
rushed  forward  simultaneously,  and  closed  rapidly 
upon  the  game. 

The  hartebeest  made  one  last  despairing  effort  to 
escape  ;  but,  finding  that  speed  would  no  longer 
avail,  the  creature  wheeled  suddenly  round,  and 
placed  itself  in  an  attitude  of  defiance  —  the  foam 
falling  from  its  lips,  while  its  red  eyes  sparkled  like 
coals  of  fire. 

In  another  moment  the  dogs  were  around  it. 

"  What  a  splendid  pack  !  "  exclaimed  Von  Bloom. 
"  0,  that  I  had  such  an  one  1 

"Ha!"  he  continued,  as  a  new  thought  struck 
him,  "  and  why  not  just  such  an  one  ?  —  why 
not?" 

Now,  the  train  of  reflections  that  passed  through 
the  mind  of  the  field-cornet  was  as  follows : 

That  the  wild  hounds  might  be  tamed,  and  trained 
to  hunting,  —  easiest  of  all,  to  the  chase  of  the  ele- 
phant. He  knew  that  this  could  be  done  ;  for  boor- 
hunters  had  often  done  it.  True,  the  dogs  must  be 


THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEJBEEST.  347 

taken  young,  but  where  were  young  ones  to  be 
obtained  ?  It  is  not  so  easy  to  capture  the  pups  of 
the  wild  hound.  Until  they  are  able  to  run  well, 
their  mothers  do  not  permit  them  to  stray  far  from 
the  caves  in  which  they  are  littered  ;  and  these  are 
usually  crevices  among  rocks,  quite  inaccessible  to 
man.  How  could  he  obtain  a  set  of  them  ?  He  had 
already  formed  such  an  intention.  Where  could  be 
their  breeding-place  ? 

His  reflections  were  interrupted  at  this  point  by 
very  singular  behavior  on  the  part  of  the  wild 
hounds,  and  which  gave  him  a  new  idea  of  their 
intelligence,  that  quite  electrified  him. 

*When  the  hartebeest  stood  to  bay,  and  the  hounds 
came  up,  Von  Bloom  very  naturally  expected  to  see 
the  latter  run  in  upon  their  game,  and  at  once  pull  it 
to  the  ground.  Thisjhe  knew  was  their  usual  habit. 
What  was  his  astonishment  at  seeing  the  whole  pack 
standing  off  to  one  side,  as  if  they  intended  to  leave 
the  antelope  alone  !  Some  of  them  even  lay  down 
to  rest  themselves,  while  the  others  stood  with  open 
jaws  and  lolling  tongues,  but  without  showing  any 
signs  that  they  intended  further  to  molest  the  pant- 
ing quarry. 

The  field-cornet  could  observe  the  situation  well ; 
for  the  antelope  was  on  his  side  —  that  is,  towards 
the  cliffs  —  while  the  dogs  were  further  out  upon  the 
plain.  Another  circumstance  that  astonished  him 
was,  that  the  dogs,  after  running  up  and  around  the 
hartebeest,  had  actually  drawn  off  to  their  present 
position. 

What  could  it  mean  ?   Were  they  afraid  of  its  ugly 


318  THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE   HARTEBEEST. 

horns  ?  Were  they  resting  themselves  before  they 
should  make  their  bloody  onslaught  ? 

The  hunter  kept  his  gaze  intently  fixed  upon  the 
interesting  group. 

After  a  while  the  antelope,  having  recovered  its 
wind  a  little,  and  seeing  the  pack  so  distant,  made  a 
fresh  start. 

This  time  it  ran  in  a  side  direction,  apparently 
with  the  intention  of  gaining  a  hill  that  lay  in  that 
way,  and  up  the  sides  of  which  it  no  doubt  calculated 
upon  gaining  some  advantage.  But  the  creature 
had  hardly  stretched  itself,  when  the  hounds  struck 
out  after  it ;  and,  in  five  hundred  yards'  running, 
once  more  brought  it  to  a  stand.  Again  the  paf  k 
took  station  at  a  distance,  and  the  hartebeest  stood 
upon  the  plain  alone. 

Once  more  it  essayed  to  escape,  and  started  off 
with  all  the  speed  that  was  left  in  its  legs  —  the 
hounds,  as  before,  trooping  after. 

This  time  the  antelope  headed  in  a  new  direction, 
making  for  a  point  in  the  cliffs  ;  and,  as  the  chase 
now  passed  very  near  to  the  nwana-tree,  everybody 
had  a  fine  view  of  it. 

The  hartebeest  seemed  to  be  going  faster  than 
ever,  or,  at  all  events,  the  dogs  did  not  now  appear 
to  gain  upon  it ;  and  the  field-cornet,  as  well  as  all 
the  young  people,  were  in  hopes  the  poor  creature 
would  escape  from  its  tireless  pursuers. 

They  watched  the  chase,  until  they  could  just  see 
the  bright  body  of  the  hartebeest  afar  off,  appearing 
like  a  yellow  spot  upon  the  face  of  the  rocks,  but  the 
dogs  were  no  longer  visible.  Then  the  yellow  spot 


THE  WILD  HOUNDS  AND  THE  HARTEBEEST.     349 

suddenly  disappeared  like  the  going  out  of  a  candle, 
and  they  could  see  it  no  more. 

No  doubt  the  antelope  was  pulled  down  ! 

A  strange  suspicion  entered  the  mind  of  Von 
Bloom,  and,  calling  upon  them  to  saddle  the  quag- 
gas,  he,  with  Hans  and  Hendrik,  rode  off  towards 
the  place  where  the  hartebeest  had  been  last  seen. 

They  approached  the  ground  with  caution ;  and 
under  the  shelter  of  some  bushes  were  enabled  to 
get  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the  spot  without 
being  observed.  A  singular  spectacle  rewarded 
their  pains. 

Within  a  dozen  yards  of  the  cliff  lay  the -body  of 
the  hartebeest,  where  it  had  been  "  pulled  down  "  by 
the  dogs.  It  was  already  half  eaten,  not  by  the 
hounds  that  had  hunted  it,  but  by  their  puppies  of 
all  ages,  that  to  the  number  of  more  than  three-score 
were  now  standing  around  the  carcass,  tugging 
away  at  its  flesh,  and  snarling  at  one  another.  Some 
of  the  grown  dogs  that  had  taken  part  in  the  chase 
could  be  seen  lying  upon  the  ground,  still  panting 
after  their  hard  run  ;  but  most  of  them  had  disap- 
peared, no  doubt  into  the  numerous  small  caves  and 
crevices  that  opened  along  the  bottom  of  the  cliffs. 

There  was  no  room  left  to  doubt  the  singular  fact 
that  the  wild  hounds  had  regularly  driven  the  harte- 
beest up  to  their  breeding-place  to  feed  their  young, 
and  that  they  had  abstained  from  killing  it  out  upon 
the  plain  to  save  themselves  the  labor  of  dragging  it 
from  a  distance ! 

Indeed,  these  animals  —  unlike  the  Felidce  —  have 
not  the  power  of  transporting  a  large  mass  to  any 


350  THE    WILD    HOUNDS    AND    THE    HARTEBEEST. 

considerable  distance  ;  hence  the  wonderful  instinct 
which  led  them  to  guide  the  antelope  to  the  very 
spot  where  its  flesh  was  wanted  ! 

That  they  were  in  the  constant  practice  of  this 
singular  habit  was  attested,  by  the  numerous  bones 
and  horns  of  large  antelopes  of  different  kinds,  that 
lay  strewed  around  the  place. 

Von  Bloom  had  his  eye  upon  the  young  puppies, 
and  all  three  made  a  rush  towards  them.  But  it  was 
to  no  purpose.  Cunning  as  their  fathers  and  moth- 
ers, the  little  fellows  forsook  their  meal  at  first  sight 
of  the  intruders,  and  darted  off  into  their  caves. 

But  they  were  not  cunning  enough  to  escape  the 
snares  which  were  laid  for  them  every  day  for  a 
week  after  ;  and,  before  the  end  of  that  time,  more 
than  a  dozen  of  them  were  safely  domiciled  in  a  lit- 
tle kennel  built  especially  for  their  use,  under  the 

shadow  of  the  great  nwana-tree. 

***:&** 

In  less  than  six  months  from  that  time,  several  of 
them  were  in  the  field,  and  trained  to  the  chase  of 
the  elephant ;  which  duty  they  performed  with  all 
the  courage  and  skill  that  could  have  been  shown  by 
hounds  of  the  purest  breed. 


CONCLUSION'.  351 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

CONCLUSION. 

FOR  several  years  Von  Bloom  led  the  life  of  an 
elephant-hunter.  For  several  years  the  great  nwana- 
tree  was  his  home,  and  his  only  companions  his 
children  and  domestics.  But,  perhaps,  these  were 
not  the  least  happy  years  of  his  existence,  since 
during  all  the  time  both  he  and  his  family  had  en- 
joyed the  most  estimable  of  earthly  blessings  — 
health. 

He  had  not  allowed  his  children  to  grow  up  with- 
out instruction.  He  had  not  permitted  them  to  lapse 
into  the  character  of  mere  "  Bush-boys."  He  had 
taught  them  many  things  from  the  book  of  nature, — 
many  arts  that  can  be  acquired  as  well  on  the  karoo 
as  in  the  college.  He  had  taught  them  to  love  God, 
and  to  love  one  another.  He  had  planted  in  their 
minds  the  seeds  of  the  virtuous  principles,  —  honor 
and  morality, — without  which  all  education  is  worth- 
less. He  had  imbued  them  with  habits  of  industry 
and  self-reliance,  and  had  initiated  them  into  many 
of  the  accomplishments  of  civilized  life ;  so  that 
upon  their  return  to  society  they  might  be  quite 
equal  to  its  claims.  Upon  the  whole,  those  years  of 
the  exile's  life,  spent  in  his  wilderness  home,  formed 


352  CONCLUSION. 

no  blank  in  his  existence.  He  might  look  back  upon 
them  with  feelings  of  satisfaction  and  pleasure. 

Man,  however,  is  formed  for  society.  The  human 
heart,  properly  organized,  seeks  communion  with  the 
human  heart ;  and  the  mind,  especially  when  refined 
and  polished  by  education,  loves  the  intercourse  of 
social  life,  and,  when  deprived  of  it,  will  always 
yearn  to  obtain  it. 

So  was  it  with  the  field-cornet.  He  desired  to  re- 
turn once  more  within  the  pale  of  civilized  society. 
He  desired  once  more  to  revisit  the  scenes  where  he 
had  so  long  dwelt  in  peaceful  happiness  ;  he  desired 
once  more  to  establish  himself  among  his  friends  and 
acquaintances  of  former  days,  in  the  picturesque  dis- 
trict of  the  Graaf  Reinet.  Indeed,  to  have  remained 
any  longer  in  his  wilderness  home  could  have  served 
no  purpose.  It  is  true  he  had  grown  very  much  at- 
tached to  his  wild  hunter-life,  but  it  was  no  longer 
likely  to  be  profitable.  The  elephants  had  com- 
pletely forsaken  the  neighborhood  of  the  camp,  and 
not  one  was  to  be  found  within  twenty  miles  of 
the  spot.  They  had  become  well  acquainted  with 
the  report  of  the  long  roer,  and  knew  the  dangerous 
character  of  that  weapon  ;  they  had  learnt  that  of 
all  their  enemies  man  was  the  one  to  be  especially 
dreaded  and  shunned  ;  and  they  had  grown  so  shy 
of  his  presence,  that  the  hunters  frequently  passed 
whole  weeks  without  setting  their  eyes  upon  a  single 
elephant. 

But  this  was  no  longer  an  object  of  solicitude  with 
Von  Bloom.  Other  considerations  now  occupied  his 
mind,  and  he  did  not  care  much  if  he  should  never 


CONCLUSION.  353 

spoor  another  of  these  huge  quadrupeds.  To  return 
to  the  Graaf  Reinet,  and  settle  there,  was  now  the 
ultimatum  of  his  wishes. 

The  time  had  at  length  arrived  when  he  would  be 
able  to  carry  out  that  design  ;  and  nothing  seemed 
any  longer  to  stand  in  the  way  of  its  full  and  com- 
plete accomplishment. 

The  proscription  against  him  had  been  long  since 
taken  off.  A  general  amnesty  had  been  passed  by 
the  government,  and  he  had  been  pardoned  among 
the  rest. 

It  is  true  his  property  was  not  restored  to  him  ; 
but  that  mattered  little  now.  He  had  created  a  new 
property,  as  was  testified  by  the  vast  pyramid  of 
ivory  that  stood  under  the  shadow  of  the  great 
nwana-tree. 

Nothing  remained  but  to  transport  this  shining 
pile  to  a  market,  and  a  splendid  fortune  would  be 
the  result. 

And  Von  Bloom's  ingenuity  found  the  means  for 
bringing  it  to  market. 

About  this  time  there  was  dug  another  huge  pit- 
trap  near  the  pass  in  the  cliffs,  in  which  many  quag- 
gas  were  trapped  ;  and  then  there  were  stirring 
scenes,  while  these  wild  creatures  were  being  broken 
to  harness,  and  trained  to  "  trek  "  in  a  wagon. 

They  were  trained,  however,  after  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  —  the  old  wheels,  still  in  prime  condition, 
serving  as  the  "break ;  "  and  then  the  body  of  the 
wagon  was  let  down  from  the  tree,  and  once  more 
renewed  its  acquaintance  with  its  old  companions 
the  wheels  ;  and  the  cap-tent  spread  its  protecting 
23 


354  CONCLUSION. 

shadow  over  all ;  and  the  white  and  yellow  crescents 
were  stowed  ;  and  the  quaggas  were  "inspanned  ;  " 
and  Swartboy,  mounting  the  "voor-kist,"  once  more 
cracked  his  long  bamboo  whip  ;  and  the  wheels,  well 
oiled  with  elephants'  grease,  again  whirled  gayly 
along. 

How  surprised  were  the  good  people  of  Graaf 
Reinet,  when,  one  morning,  a  cap-tent  wagon,  drawn 
by  twelve  quaggas,  and  followed  by  four  riders 
mounted  upon  animals  of  the  same  kind,  pulled  up 
in  the  public  square  of  their  little  town !  How  as- 
tonished they  were  on  seeing  that  this  wagon  was 
"  chuck "  full  of  elephants'  teeth,  all  except  a  lit- 
tle corner  occupied  by  a  beautiful  girl  with  cherry 
cheeks  and  fair  flaxen  hair ;  and  how  joyed  were 
they,  in  fine,  on  learning  that  the  owner  of  both  the 
ivory  and  the  beautiful  girl  was  no  other  than  their 
old  friend,  and  much-esteemed  fellow-citizen,  the 
field-cornet  Von  Bloom ! 

A  warm  welcome  met  the  elephant-hunter  in  the 
square  of  Graaf  Reinet,  and,  what  was  also  of  some 
importance,  a  ready  market  for  his  ivory. 

It  chanced  just  at  that  time  that  ivory  was  selling 
at  a  very  high  rate.  Some  article  —  I  do  not  remem- 
ber what  —  the  principal  part  of  which  required  to 
be  constructed  of  pure  ivory,  had  come  into  fashion 
and  general  use  in  European  countries,  and  the  con- 
sequence was  an  increased  demand  for  this  valuable 
commodity.  It  was  a  fortunate  circumstance  for  the 
returned  hunter,  who  was  at  once  enabled  to  dispose 
of  his  stock,  not  only  for  ready  money,  but  at  such 


CONCLUSION.  355 

a  fine  price  as  to  yield  him  nearly  twice  the  amount 
he  had  calculated  on  receiving. 

He  had  not  brought  it  all  with  him,  as  there  was 
more  than  would  have  loaded  any  one  wagon.  A 
second  load  had  remained,  hidden  near  the  nwana- 
tree  ;  and  this  required  a  journey  to  be  made  for  it. 

It  was  made  in  due  time,  and  the  remainder  ar- 
rived safely  at  Graaf  Reinet,  and  was  there  delivered 
to  the  ivory-dealers,  who  had  already  purchased  it. 

The  result  was  a  splendid  fortune  in  ready  money. 
The  field-cornet  was  once  more  a  rich  man  ! 

For  the  present  we  can  follow  his  history  no 
further  than  to  say,  that  the  proceeds  of  his  great 
hunt  enabled  him  to  buy  back  his  old  estate,  and  to 
stock  it  in  splendid  style,  with  the  best  breeds  of 
horses,  horned  cattle,  and  sheep  ;  that  he  rose  rap- 
idly in  wealth  and  worldly  esteem  ;  that  the  govern- 
ment gave  him  its  confidence;  and,  having  first 
restored  him  to  his  old  office  of  field-cornet,  soon 
afterwards  promoted  him  to  that  of  "  landdrost,"  or 
chief  magistrate  of  the  district. 

Hans  returned  to  his  college  studies ;  while  the 
dashing  Hendrik  was  enabled  to  enter  the  profession 
for  which  he  was  most  fit,  and  the  very  one  that 
fitted  him,  by  obtaining  a  cornetcy  in  the  "  Cape 
Mounted  Rifles." 

Little  Jan  was  packed  off  to  school  to  study 
grammar  and  geography ;  while  the  beautiful  Triiey 
remained  at  home  to  grace  the  mansion  of  her  hon- 
ored father,  and  look  after  his  household  affairs. 

Totty  still  ruled  the  kitchen ;  and,  of  course, 
Swartboy  was  the  important  man  about  the  house, 


356  CONCLUSION. 

and  for  many  a  long  year  after  cracked  his  great 
whip  and  flourished  his  jambok  among,  the  long- 
horned  oxen  of  the  wealthy  landdrost. 

But  enough  for  the  present ;  enough  of  adventure 
for  one  year.  Let  us  hope,  boy -readers,  that  before 
you  and  I  have  circled  once  more  around  the  sun, 
we  shall  make  a  fresh  trip  to  the  land  of  the  boors, 
and  again  encounter  the  worthy  Yon  Bloom,  his 
Bushman,  and  — 

"  BUSH-BOYS.  " 


THE    END. 


